Jun 12 2008
Travel Scams
Sometimes the old advice from our mothers is also the best advice. The old sayings that “if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is” and “nothing in life is free” can be found to especially true when it comes to travel scams.
One of the longest running travel scams is Vacation Fraud. Vacation Fraud is when you are told that you and someone you love have won a luxury cruise getaway, or you have won a vacation package that is totally free. There is also the travel scam where a so-called travel agent tells you that they can get you the vacation of your dreams at the cheapest price possible. Many people may believe that these are good deals and nothing can go wrong. However, quite a bit can go wrong.
The first obvious thing to point out is that you will never get a free vacation. Even thought there may be some very rare packages given out by travel agencies that may indeed by free, you must remain cautious. There are many common travel scams that one should be aware of.
The first travel scam is when you are told that you are going to get a free vacation but in order to receive that vacation package you have to pay a number of “fees”. You have to pay the fees if you want to reserve the vacation. When the fee is paid, the “travel agency” disappears. The phone line gets disconnected and you have no possible way to retrieve your money. Another version of this travel scam is when a so called travel agent says that you have been booked on a glamorous vacation for a very cheap price but the deal will only be available for a short time. Then the fake travel agent tells you that you must pay a very large “reservation fee” right away to be sure you get a place on this vacation. Usually after the bogus travel agent receives the payment, they will usually tell you that the dates for your vacation are not available, or after a long time period, they will tell you that the “great offer” has expired. This “travel agent” usually disappears as well and you never see your money again.
Another travel scam is when someone offers to get you plane tickets for free. Someone calls you and says that you have won a couple of plane tickets to a wonderful spot such as the Bahamas. What you are not told is that you have to purchase your hotel room and purchase your meals from a specific company that is offering the free tickets. If you stop and think about the travel offer and calculate the math prior to accepting these free tickets, you can easily see that the costs of lodging and food cover the cost of the plane tickets because the ticket prices are inflated.
There is also the travel scam that relates to time shares. You are offered a free vacation but before you can begin to relax and enjoy yourself, you have to watch a presentation from a salesman. There are many times you will not be told about the mandatory timeshare lecture prior to reaching your destination. Many times, individuals have to sit through lengthy lectures before getting tickets for food and lodgings. You may also be forced to sign documents that may be fraudulent. In certain cases when the traveler tries to get away, they may be subject to unethical sales tactics and bullying.
There is also the Travel Agent Scam. Someone may tell you that becoming a travel agent will save you money on a vacation. They may also tell you that you will get a lot of freebies and discounts while on vacation. What you are not told is that you have to pay a “fee” and then you will automatically become a travel agent. When you become a travel agent you realize that you can’t get any discounts because the credentials you receive are not accepted by any legitimate travel authority.
You can protect yourself from travel scams by simply being cautious and following your instincts.
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