Top 5 Travel Scams
It’s that time of year again – Summer Vacation! With so many destinations to choose from, how do you choose just one? While making your travel plans for the summer – or any other time of the year, it is important to be aware of common travel scams and how to protect yourself and your family while travelling.
According to the Better Business Bureau, in 2017 there were 2,500 travel scams reported to its scam tracker. That number will continue to climb every year as fraudsters and scammers become more sophisticated. Travel scams can start from the moment you book and occur until the very end of your vacation. Here are the Top 5 Vacation Scams per the Better Business Bureau:
1. Vacation Rental Con
As the cost of hotels continues to rise, and travellers are using vacation rental properties as a cheaper accommodation option that provides the comforts of home. Be wary when booking vacation rentals as scammers will post properties that may not be for rent, don’t exist, or are significantly different than pictured. As well, the ‘owner’ may create a false sense of urgency – trying to get you to pay before you do your research. To help prevent becoming a victim of these easy to fall for scams, follow these simple rules:
- Use reputable sites like Airbnb, that verifies properties and owners;
- Speak to the owner – if not using a site like Airbnb, don’t negotiate solely by email. Verbally speak to the owner – ask questions about the property and local attractions. If the answers are vague, it may be a red flag.
- Do your own research – do a Google search of the address and use Street View to confirm that the property matches the one advertised. Also verify the distances to beaches, attractions, and airports while doing your search.
2. ‘Free’ Vacation Scams
Generally a good reminder is – if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. If you receive a phone call about winning a free trip, without entering a contest, be very suspicious. If you see advertising for ‘Free Vacations’ – be on the lookout for additional fees such as air transportation to the port, port charges, taxes, tips etc.
3. Hotel Scams
There are a few techniques that scammers use to attempt to get your credit card information while you are staying at a hotel. Here are some of the tricks:
- Fake Front Desk Calls – scammers will call your room in the middle of the night stating that there is something wrong with the card on file. They will ask for you to re-provide your card information. If this happens, advise the caller, you will go down to the front desk to correct the situation.
- ‘Free’ WiFi Connections – WiFi skimming continues to be a popular scam that targets travellers with the promise of free internet. Use diligence when using any free ‘WiFi’ connections – don’t log into important websites like Online Banking. Scammers will collect your information while they control the ‘Free’ WiFi connection.
- Fake Food Delivery – Scammers will distribute fake menus to the hotel rooms. When the traveler calls and places an order, the scammers collect their credit card information and the food is never delivered.
4. Third Party Booking Site Scams
Use caution when using third party booking sites. Common scams include fraudulent booking sites that don’t actually book your flight or hotel or activities as stated. The scammers not only receive your payment for the travel, they also collect your personal and financial information – potentially to perpetrate future fraud.
5. Timeshare Reselling Con
In this scam, a timeshare owner is selling their timeshare and gets a call from a ‘real estate agent/broker’ who claim they specialize in timeshare reselling. They usually state that they have buyers ready and push the timeshare owner to pay an upfront fee to secure the service. Once paid, the ‘real estate agent’ doesn’t deliver.
How can you protect yourself and your family?Â
Doing your due diligence can help protect you and your loved ones from travel scams. Be sure to look for reviews and ask for references when booking accommodations. When looking at reviews, look for a variety of scores – this will give you a better overall picture of what you are booking. If you wire money or use a prepaid credit card to pay for your trip, the cash is untraceable and gone if it’s a scam. If the hotel, travel, or tour you are considering is much cheaper than similar options, then be suspicious.
And always remember – if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
Have you encountered what you believe to be a scam? Contact your branch immediately so that our fraud squad can look into it. Better safe than sorry, as the old adage goes.
