{"id":927,"date":"2023-11-13T11:19:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T19:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.realcall.ai\/?p=927"},"modified":"2023-11-15T19:20:04","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T03:20:04","slug":"how-to-spot-and-avoid-travel-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.realcall.ai\/blog\/how-to-spot-and-avoid-travel-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Spot and Avoid Travel Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Travel scams can cost you money and ruin your vacation, but the results could wind up being a lot worse than that. A hacker or thief who accesses your personal information could steal your identity without you even knowing, in which case you could spend thousands of dollars and several years getting back on your feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/a>, many travel scams start out with you receiving a call, a text, or a flyer in the mail. In any of these communications, you may be promised a free vacation or a luxury cruise at a drastically discounted rate. They need your credit card to secure the reservation, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Since 2020, people have lost more than $78 million<\/a> to travel scams.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Typical Travel Scam Types<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are new scams being devised somewhere in the world as you read this, but these are some common scams experienced by travelers all over the world. By understanding how these typical scams work you can avoid these unpleasant experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fake Booking Platforms<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fake hotel booking platforms pop up on the internet all the time, and their main goal is getting your credit card information so they can rack up other charges. Also, note that many of these sites feature incredibly low prices and stellar “deals” that are too good to be true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure to check the legitimacy of a company before you use an unknown website to book hotels or other travel. You can check for legitimacy and reviews using websites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unauthorized Credit Card Charges<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Arriving home from vacation can be stressful already, mostly due to the piles of laundry and unpacking ahead of you. However, getting home can be even more stressful if a thief got ahold of your credit card details while you were gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit card fraud happens all the time, yet you don’t have to despair if you see unauthorized charges on your credit card after a trip. Credit cards come with zero liability for fraud, so calling the number on the back of your card to report the theft is your best course of action. Most likely, your card issuer will credit you for the unauthorized charges and then send you a new card to use in place of your old one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ATMs with Skimmers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

ATMs in crowded spaces are often armed with skimmers \u2014 tool thieves use to “skim” your credit card information when you insert your card in a terminal. While skimmers can be difficult to spot, you should look for anything out of the ordinary on a payment terminal before you swipe your card. Better yet, use a credit card with EMV chip technology, and “tap to pay” instead of inserting your card whenever you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hidden Resort Fees<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Resort fees may be incredibly common in destinations like Las Vegas and New York City, but they’re still a scam. After all, you shouldn’t have to pay an extra $20 to $50 per night for things like internet access or entry to your hotel’s gym, especially not on top of the nightly room rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to resort fees, your best bet is booking hotels that don’t charge them altogether. That said, you’ll want to read the fine print on your hotel booking so you know for sure. If you can’t tell whether a hotel charges a resort fee, you can also call the front desk and ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charter Flight Scams<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Plenty of legitimate companies have begun offering private and shared jet charters over the past few years. Unfortunately, many private jet scams have come about as a result, including ones where fraudsters create fake websites promising private charters at rock-bottom rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While booking a private jet or shared charter may not be as expensive as it used to be, you can avoid scams by speaking to brokers before booking, seeking references and reviews, and checking the background of a company before taking a flight or giving your payment information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vacation “Deal” Robocalls<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you get a robocall from someone promising to tell you about vacation deals, go ahead and hang up. Chances are good that the “deal” they’re offering is nothing of the sort, and that it’s actually a phishing scam meant to procure your personal information or credit card details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identity Theft Scams<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You’ll need to share a certain amount of personal information to book various types of travel, whether that’s a scan of your passport, a copy of your driver’s license, or your credit card details. Either way, sharing this information can inevitably lead to fraud if it winds up in the wrong hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To protect against identity theft, you should diligently check your credit reports with all three bureaus throughout the year. Fortunately, you can do this for free with the website AnnualCreditReport.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fake Travel Insurance Scams<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fraudsters will do anything to make a buck, and that includes creating fake travel insurance websites. Once they begin marketing their policies, their goal is to pocket your premiums and leave you with worthless coverage. To avoid travel insurance scams, make sure you only buy travel insurance from a reputable company. Some of the best travel insurance providers to consider include Allianz and World Nomads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Free Vacation” Scams<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you get a phone call, an email or a piece of snail mail stating you’ve won a free vacation, you should take this announcement with a grain of salt. The fact is, many scammers send out mailers promising free vacations to Disney World and elsewhere with the goal of getting some kind of payment or your credit card information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there are some vacation offers that are legitimate, keep in mind that you should never pay a fee to win a “prize.” Also, make sure you only give your information to legitimate companies and be wary of anything that seems too good to be true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Spot a Travel Scam?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like with other scams, legitimate traveler promoters won\u2019t require cryptocurrency, random gift cards, or wire transfers to invest in these vacation offers. If you fall for one of these scam schemes, you likely won\u2019t see your money again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the warning signs that you\u2019re being targeted by fraudsters and not legitimate customer service agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n