Summer vacations are around the corner! Be wary of scammers trying to ruin your vacation plans. Scammers and untrustworthy companies are often behind fraudulent activity that can lead to devastating financial scenarios.
Here are some frequently seen scams to watch out for:
- Notifications that you won a free trip for a contest you don’t remember entering
- Scammers impersonating existing vacation rental home listings and passing them off as their own — or creating fake listings or rentals that don’t actually exist
- People trying to steal your personal identifiable information when you stay at hotels — such as someone calling your room and posing as a front desk employee who asks for credit card information
Never give scammers any information. Here are some rules of thumb to follow as you remain vigilant during your travels:
- Hang up the phone or delete the email or text message if you are pressured to accept a prize immediately
- Verify rental property addresses by using a street view mapping service to see if the property matches the picture in the listing
- When renting a private home, stick to reputable sites like Airbnb or VRBO
- If you stay in a hotel, pay close attention to anyone who calls your room claiming to be a front desk employee, and give personal information directly at the front desk instead of over the phone
If you think you may have been targeted by a travel scam, report it to the FTC or your state attorney general.
If you have any questions on vacation scams, feel free to reach out to us!