Avoid These Popular Travel Scams

I think you'll agree that the foundation for detecting and avoiding these scams lies in intuition; trust your instincts, and if it sounds too good to be true, it very likely is. Thankfully, the Internet has become a great resource for hunting down scams and promoting consumer advocacy. If all else fails and you can't really tell if the deal is legit, check online and odds are you'll find someone who was brave enough to share their own horror story so that others wouldn't have to go through something similar.

Postcard and phone solicitations are one of the oldest in the book, yet they keep getting repackaged with a high tech or exotic sounding name, and people continue to bite on them. The hard part is that there are a decent amount of legitimate travel companies that offer fair incentives, you just need to be educated and trust your gut when contacted by such companies.

Be extremely skeptical about any solicitations which say you've been selected to receive a fabulous vacation. You should receive complete details in writing about the trip prior to payment. These details should include the total price, cancellation and change penalties (if any), and specific information about all components of the package. Never, ever call a 900 number in response to a travel solicitation, and don't be afraid to walk away from high pressure sales presentations which don't allow you time to evaluate the offer or require that you disclose your income.

One of the other top scams that are difficult to gauge the validity of are travel packages to major sporting events like the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, or the World Series. Again, many of these offers are legitimate, but there are just as many instances where consumers have been scammed by unscrupulous vendors who never even had tickets to the event in the first place. Before you buy a sports travel package, be sure to carefully read the tour brochure and any other solicitation material and pay by credit card, where possible, so you can be protected under federal fair credit practice laws.

If it's too late and you think you've already been scammed, contact your local Better Business Bureau, your local or state Consumer Affairs Office, state attorney general's office, or e-mail the ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) Consumer Affairs Department at consumeraffairs@astahq.com for information and assistance.

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