Spring breakers should be wary of travel scams

For those looking to make spring break or summer travel plans, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises that they be on alert for scammers before, during and even after their trip.

Whether it involves not getting what you expected or paying more than advertised for an excursion, the goal with these schemes is to trick you out of money or personal information.

Susceptibility to travel and vacation related scams rose to 38% in 2018 from 4% in 2017, according to the BBB’s latest Scam Tracker Risk Report. Travel/vacation scams rose to the number two riskiest scam for men in 2018.

In many cases, according to the report, these scammers pretend to be well-known travel brands. Such was the case for one individual who reported to the BBB Scam Tracker that he got a call from someone claiming to be with Trip Advisor.

These scams involve recording your responses so they can be used later to prove that you agreed to purchase the trip. They ask, “Can you hear me okay?” If you answer yes or anything similar, they can later use this recorded response as confirmation of a purchase.  In addition, a recording may ask you to press 1 to be placed on a “do not call list,” but instead, you have confirmed interest, allowing subsequent calls from them and other companies.

“Travel companies, especially major brands, won’t call you to promote a trip or travel package,” said Brian Catania, president and CEO of the BBB Metro Atlanta, Athens and Northeast Georgia. “Students and other travelers looking to have fun during spring break should research before booking flights or hotels to places where they are unfamiliar.”

Making plans for spring break should also include protecting your private information, as scammers are finding ways to intercept your info – both directly and indirectly. The BBB advises students and other springbreak travelers to avoid accidentally sharing sensitive information.

Travelers should avoid public or free Wi-Fi connections while on vacation and turn off auto connect to networks. “Hackers can intercept data transmissions that are not encrypted or they may trick you into connecting to a rogue Wi-Fi network,” says Catania.

Here are some BBB tips to avoid travel scams:

• Book through a reliable travel agent or travel site. Determining if someone is reputable may be difficult on your own, so get some help. Get recommendations from those you know well. Check its BBB Business Profile at www.bbb.org. or find a BBB Accredited Business. Accredited Businesses must adhere to the BBB’s 8 standards of trust, requiring that they advertise honestly, be transparent, and honor promises.
• Pay with a credit card. Paying by credit card offers the most protection should something go wrong because you can challenge the charges.
• Consider purchasing travel insurance. Travel insurance provides coverage for particular perils under which it will pay claims. Be sure to shop around and read the terms and conditions before purchasing.
• Be wary of unsolicited travel offers. Check on these offers with the BBB.
• Avoid ads for cheap vacations. These Internet ads may seems to good to be true, and they usually are, lead you to fraudulent websites.