Online scams gouge travelers
THE INTERNET is booming. Unfortunately, so are Internet-related scams. And the U.S. based Federal Trade Commission is not amused. It has placed Internet travel scams on the commission's Top 10 list of consumer fraud. The situation is also the same in Canada.
One industry association estimates that on-line travel scams are gouging unwary consumers by a whopping $10 billion per year. According to the American Association of Retired People, a recent survey revealed that one in six consumers claim they had been duped by fraud in the past year.
How do you spot a scam?
Turn on your superlative radar: If the words "free," "dream," "no cost," or "deal of a lifetime" appear on your screen take a dose of salt. Internet fraud artists know how to appeal to our basest instincts for a good deal, and our biggest hopes for a free vacation. Some of the empty promises include soon-to expire frequent flier miles for sale by an owner,
non-refundable but transferable tickets and absurdly cheap charter packages.
Too good to be true on-line travel deals are often offered by auction. You send in your on-line bid and suddenly the whole deal looks as virtual as the Internet. The goods never arrive and the company offering the deal disappears with your money and, worse, your credit card number.
The safest way to avoid Internet travel scams is to deal with reputable travel agencies. Look for brand names you recognize. Always check whether the web page you are on matches the web address. Do not offer your credit card number unless secure payment is promised. It might be worthwhile to also read the fine print offered under highlighted words such as "conditions" or "policies".
Mail fraud
Meanwhile, as Internet travel fraud proliferates, the old tried and true method - the postal system - is still used to dupe travelers. You usually receive a "personal" letter telling you how lucky you are. Out of millions of (other travel-hopefuls) you have been chosen to receive a free tropical vacation (of course, it's never to Siberia). Remember that these letters are designed to answer your every doubt, assuring you that others who responded promptly are now happily wading in the crystalline waters of some tropical isle.
The deal often comes with a time restraint designed to make people panic and act impulsively - just what the travel scam people are counting on. What you may not know, after you send in your "voucher" is that it requires you to buy or try some product first.
Other fraud devices include a request to send in a small fee to "reserve" your chosen departure time. Strangely, all the departures offered seem to be filled up. Meanwhile, the company collects these "fees" from hundreds or thousands of unsuspecting consumers, then closes shop with their coffers full and their promises empty.
Sometimes there really is a free trip in the offering. The catch is, however, that once you're there, the accommodations may be substandard and any upgrading will require a generous donation from your wallet. Sure, the trip was free, but the company will extort more money from you while you're there, or require you to pay airfare or other fees at twice the going rate.
Before you pay out any money (voucher costs, membership fees, deposits) for a travel "deal" check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any reports on the company, or consult your local travel agency. If the company offers you a prize, ask for written information that outlines any extra costs you will have to pay.
If you do fall victim to a scam or if you suspect one, report it immediately to the Better Business Bureau or your nearest consumer protection agency. And if it sounds to good to be true, well, you know the answer to that one.
The experts at UNIGLOBE Signature Travel help travelers avoid travel scams.(619) 238-5200
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