Learn how these 6 travel scams sneakily target unsuspecting travellers

This summer, over half of Americans plan to travel, and scammers are ready to trick them at every step. Whether you’re booking flights, renting cars, at the airport, or in your hotel, watch out for scams. They’re not just simple tricks.

The Better Business Bureau says that some scams these days are especially sneaky and even smart travelers are falling for them. Let’s look at the most common travel scams and how you can avoid them.

Fake airline booking sites

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The Scam: When you look for travel deals online, you might find a great deal on a website you’ve never heard of before. This site looks real and works well. You can search for flights and hotels, and even book them on the site or through a customer service number. But, be careful! This website is a scam designed to steal your money and credit card information.

How to Avoid This Scam: Before you give any personal information to a new travel site, do some research. Make sure the website has a small padlock icon next to “https://” in the address bar when you’re booking something. Also, watch out for sites with lots of spelling mistakes or strange text that doesn’t make sense. These are signs the site might not be trustworthy.

Fake front desk calls

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The Scam: Imagine you’re in your hotel room and you get a phone call. The caller says they work at the front desk. They tell you there’s a problem with the credit card you used and they need you to give them your credit card details over the phone. Be careful—this is a scam!

How to Avoid This Scam: If someone says there’s a problem with your credit card, don’t give any details over the phone. Always go to the front desk in person to sort out any issues with your payment.

Remember: Scammers are clever and can sound very convincing. It’s important to protect your personal information, especially when you are traveling. Always double-check with hotel staff face-to-face if there are any concerns or unexpected requests. That way, you can ensure your information stays safe and enjoy your trip without worries.

Malicious airport and hotel Wi-Fi hacks

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The Scam: Sometimes, scammers create fake WiFi networks that look like the ones you expect to use. They might have names like “Free Public WiFi” or something specific like “Marriott WiFi.” They hope you will connect to their network. Once you do, hackers can try to steal your personal information, like passwords and bank details.

How to Avoid This Scam: Always check if a free WiFi network is really provided by the place you are at, like a store, airport, or hotel, before you connect. Also, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN makes your internet activity private even on open networks, keeping your information safe.

Stay Safe: It’s good to be cautious with free WiFi. Hackers are always looking for ways to trick people. By double-checking the WiFi network’s name and using a VPN, you can protect your personal details and enjoy safer internet access wherever you are.

Disappearing vacation rentals

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The Scam: People love using sites like AirBnB and Vrbo to book vacation rentals. Because of this, some have started to trust listings on other places like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace too. But be careful—scammers are posting fake listings and photos of places that don’t really exist. This can even happen on well-known rental sites like Apartments.com, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and Homes.com. Scammers often trick buyers into making deals and payments off these trusted sites, usually through email or text.

How to Avoid This Scam: Never make deals or payments for vacation properties outside of trusted rental sites. Be extra cautious with listings on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, especially if you cannot verify them directly.

Stay Safe: Always use reputable sites for booking vacation rentals and make sure any transaction happens directly through those sites. This helps protect you from scams and ensures your vacation planning is secure.

Fake rental-car ads

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The Scam: With car rental prices going up by 30% from last year, everyone is looking for a good deal. Scammers know this and have created fake online ads. These ads lead you to a hotline where someone pretending to be a “customer service representative” might trick you into giving your credit card details. Sometimes, they might even offer you a “special deal” that asks for payment with a gift card or pre-paid debit card.

How to Avoid This Scam: Always check that the phone number you’re calling is really for the car rental company by doing a web search. Be careful with offers that seem too good to be true, especially if they come from random online ads. Remember, any deal that involves gift cards is probably a scam.

Stay Safe: It’s best to deal directly with known and trusted car rental companies. If an offer or discount comes from an unfamiliar source, it’s important to double-check its legitimacy to keep your money and personal information safe.

Fake TSA precheck programs

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The Scam: Some fake websites target travelers looking to pay for faster service through airport security, like TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and NEXUS. These scam sites might ask you for an “application fee” or “service fee.” If you pay, you end up giving your money and credit card details to a scammer. Even worse, because these services need sensitive information like your passport or Social Security number, scammers might steal that too.

How to Avoid This Scam: Be careful and avoid websites that look cheap or unreliable. Always use the official TSA PreCheck or NEXUS websites when you apply for quicker airport security services.

Stay Safe: Using official websites ensures that your personal information is safe and that you’re really getting the service you pay for. Double-check the website address to make sure it’s correct before you enter any personal or payment information.