Don’t Fall Victim To This Popular Travel Scam This Holiday Season

We all know, including scam artists, that this is one of the busiest times of year to travel. Hotel booking scams are on the rise and many travelers have fallen victim to fraudulent bookings. It can be difficult to determine if that unbelievable deal is real or actually a scam. Here are some things to look out for before making that hotel reservation.

You Get A Phone Call

Reputable hotels aren’t going to call you to let you know that they have some astonishing deal going. Scammers will often tell you that there’s only one room left or that the deal will expire in a few hours. Basically, they will say just about anything to get you to book a room right then and there with your credit card number. If you aren’t sure if the deal is real, think of an excuse to get off the phone and then call the hotel back directly. If you feel a lot of pressure to book that great deal right away, then it’s probably a scam. It’s also a good idea to ask them questions such as what’s near the hotel and what amenities the hotel has. Often times, scammers aren’t able to answer these simple questions.

You Receive A Real Looking Email

This scam is easier to fall victim too because hotels do sometimes send out emails to let you know about travel deals and discounts. Scammers take a lot of time to make these emails look real so it’s easy to fall victim to them. If you do receive one of these emails, look at the email address it came from. Usually the address will be a dead giveaway that it’s not from the hotel. Also, don’t click on any links that will take you to a website. Scammers will even go as far as to create websites that look a lot like the hotel’s. Instead, read the email and if you are interested in the supposed deal, call the hotel directly and find out if the promotion is legitimate.

One popular email scam is that you have won a “free hotel stay.”  Then when you call they charge you airfare of over $1,000 pp to get to the hotel stay, so in fact you are paying for the entire package and nothing is free. Worse yet, in some cases they have been time shares so you have to sit through several presentation while you are supposed to be on vacation.

Ways To Avoid Being Scammed

There are a number of ways you can avoid being scammed when booking a hotel room this holiday season.These include:

-Use a trusted travel agent. Legitimate travel agencies have great reviews. If you are needing help with your travel plans, find a reputable travel agency to help you. They can find you great deals and you won’t have to worry about getting scammed in the process.

-Do your research. It’s a good idea to do a lot of research before booking a hotel. Don’t just book something on a whim because of a good deal. Research your options and read reviews so that you can ensure that you are getting a good deal.

-Use your credit card. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, you can fall victim to a scam. Because of this it’s a good idea to use a credit card when making travel plans. It’s usually easier to get your money back than it would be if you used your debit card.

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