Fraudulent travel promotions and offers consistently make it to the top of the list of complaints that the FTC, or Federal Trade Commission, receives every year. These scams are relatively low cost to run, but they lead to expensive mistakes and disappointments for numerous consumers or would be travelers.
Unsolicited travel offers arrive at many homes and businesses every day. The offers arrive by telephone, e-mail, snail mail, and fax. Generally, the offers are fraudulent travel promotions sent or called by unscrupulous travel promoters.
Disguised to look familiar and similar to companies that the consumer might have contact with or knowledge of, the fraudulent offers look legitimate at first glance. Faxes, letters, and e-mails with letterheads designed to look similar to the company the individual is working for further encourage the consumer into thinking the offer is legitimate.
The travel packages are enticing enough to encourage people to act quickly before they have time to think about it or talk to others about it. Anxious to take advantage of the good deal, people often respond immediately. This is exactly what the phony promoter of the travel package wants.
Vacations are offered with deluxe accommodations that include air conditioning and king size beds, free meals, special outings, such as cruises or casino trips, free spa packages, and other assorted perks. Consumers are enticed to place a deposit to hold the offer and its wonderful components. A full refund is offered in the event that they cancel; but then, they are told the deposit is non-refundable. Customers have unwittingly paid for the purchase in full, but never receive the tickets or paperwork for the trip.
The best way to avoid a travel scam is to follow a few simple rules. Consumers need to know what signs to look for to discern the legitimacy of the offer. Likewise, consumers need to follow their instinct and realize that if it looks and sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. People are in the business of making money. If it appears that they are giving the trip away, then how is the company making any money? Look at the following tips and use them to guide you when planning a vacation.
How To Avoid A Travel Scam