| Again, your mother was right. Actually, she was right | | | | you void your return ticket. So, you can either stay |
| twice. One, nothing in life is free and two, if sounds | | | | in your bad hotel or pay a horribly inflated fee to get |
| too good to be true, it probably is. | | | | out of it so you can sleep in a decent hotel. |
| One of the biggest and longest running scams to | | | | The Time Share Scam - You are given a free |
| date is the Vacation Fraud, where you or a loved | | | | vacation, but before you enjoy it, you have to sit |
| one is told that they have won a free vacation | | | | through a presentation from a timeshare salesman. |
| package or a glamorous cruise getaway. If not totally | | | | Sometimes, you're not even told about the obligatory |
| "free", these "agents" say that they can get you | | | | timeshare lecture before you reach your destination. |
| that dream tour for a rock-bottom price. At this | | | | Oftentimes, to get food tickets and accommodation, |
| point, you, like many other law-abiding citizens start | | | | people have been forced to sit in through long |
| thinking "what could possibly go wrong?" A lot, | | | | lectures and end up being forced to sign contracts |
| apparently. | | | | that are also fraudulent. In some cases, when the |
| Let's just start with the obvious: you will not get a | | | | vacationers try to get away, they have been |
| free vacation. Granted, there are rare packages out | | | | subjected to bullying and other unscrupulous tactics |
| there from reputable travel agencies that may be | | | | from these sales agents. |
| free, but err on the side of caution. The most | | | | "Become a Travel Agent" Scam - Someone tells you |
| common travel and vacation scams include the | | | | that you're better off to be a travel agent because |
| following: | | | | it saves you a lot of money in the long run. As a |
| The Dubious Travel Agency Scam - You are called | | | | travel agent, they say, you get a lot of discounts |
| and told you are getting a free vacation package but | | | | and freebies while you're on holiday. The catch is, |
| you must pay "fees" to reserve this opportunity. | | | | you have to pay them a "fee" to become an instant |
| Then after you pay these fees, the "travel agency" | | | | travel agent and when you become one, you realize |
| can no longer be found. Their phone line has been | | | | you can't avail yourself of the discounts because |
| disconnected and there is no way you can get your | | | | your credentials are not recognized by any travel |
| money back. Another variation of this scam is telling | | | | authority. |
| you that you've been booked on a luxurious vacation | | | | Fraudulent Vacation Discount Cards - You pay for a |
| trip verycheaply, but this is only for a "limited time". | | | | vacation card thinking it will make your vacation a |
| You are then asked to pay a "reservation fee" | | | | little cheaper, but then you realize that the card has |
| immediately (and this is usually a big amount) to | | | | so many restrictions that you can't get the discounts |
| assure your slot. It's only after payment that the | | | | you're entitled to. OR if you do get a discount, it's |
| "travel agent" tells you that your vacation dates are | | | | just taken off a "special price" and still comes down |
| not available or, after some time, will tell you that the | | | | to the same price as everyone else is paying. |
| offer has already "expired". Then the "Agent" also | | | | Protect yourself from these travel scams by |
| disappears, along with your money. | | | | following your gut instinct and being sceptical. Don't |
| Plane Tickets for Free- Here, they call you and say | | | | be afraid to say no and assert yourself when these |
| you have won two plane tickets to great spots like | | | | "agents" become pushy. Never give your credit card |
| the Bahamas. What they're not saying is that you | | | | number over the phone in the name of "reserving" |
| must book your hotel and buy your meals from the | | | | your slot. If they give you a time limit, say you need |
| company that's giving away the tickets. If you stop | | | | to think about it; being hurried is usually a sign of a |
| and do the math before you accept this "free ticket" | | | | scam. Before accepting the package, go the distance |
| offer, you can easily calculate that the amount for | | | | - check the hotel, the airline, etc. - and make sure |
| food and accommodation easily covers the cost of a | | | | they are working with this promotion at the prices |
| plane fare because prices have been so inflated. | | | | the agent says they are. Buy tickets and packages |
| The "Free Vacation" - You fly all the way to Hawaii | | | | only from genuine agencies and in person, if possible |
| or Mexico, ready to start your vacation, but you find | | | | and remember, offers from phone calls or spam email |
| out that you are booked in a small and dirty hostel | | | | are more likely to be scams. |
| with bad food. If you check out, they tell you that | | | | |