Don't Get Taken by a Tricky Travel Scam
March 31, 2006 -- Spring break is winding down and summer vacations are right around the corner, so as you're starting to make those summer travel plans, you should know tricky travel offers are consistently among the top five consumer complaints. Americans lose $12 billion every year to travel fraud.
I think it happens because we're so hungry for rest and relaxation that we're vulnerable to promises of paradise. The most common come-on makes it seem as if you've won a free vacation. I fell for this once myself back in my college days. If you pay attention, you'll notice that the trick is in the wording.
Clare E. thought she had won a free cruise to the Bahamas. After all, she received a "certificate of authenticity" in the mail --complete with a confirmation number. Luckily, Clare contacted me to ask if she should pack her bags. I read her offer and noticed that it didn't say she had received a "fabulous vacation." It said she had received a "fabulous vacation offer." In other words, Clare was being given the chance to spend her own money on a cruise! That is absolutely typical. Poor Clare. The company had gotten her hopes up, so she didn't want to believe me. She ignored my advice and called the salesman back. Sure enough, he asked her for $1,200 to pay for the trip she had "won." That's when Clare wised up.
What if she hadn't? What would have happened? Some travel offers are run by creative con artists who just take your money and run. But many do result in a trip for you -- often a trip to hell and back. Some consumers report that their dream vacation turned out to be a week's stay in a crime-ridden neighborhood across a freeway from the beach in a cockroach-infested motel. Other travelers have complained that they got to their destination only to find that the travel promoter never made a reservation and the hotel didn't have a room for them.
All-Excluded Rather Than All-Inclusive
Some travel-offer promoters make it almost impossible for you to book the trip you've paid for. They pile on the conditions and restrictions so you can't go anywhere, but then they refuse to give you a refund. Other vacation peddlers don't disclose upfront that almost nothing is included in their offer -- then they nickel and dime you for every detail. Oh, you want a bed in your hotel room? That'll be an extra $200. Meals aboard the cruise ship? $500. You will find that you could have booked a much nicer vacation on your own or through a travel agent of your choosing, rather than one that came after you.
And beware of things like time shares, travel clubs and campground memberships. Basically, if you pay a chunk of money now for the chance to vacation later, watch out. With any deal like this, you may find that the package isn't worth what you paid or that you just won't want to use it in the future. I once heard from a couple who paid big bucks to join a travel club. When they got to one of the included resorts, they learned they could have vacationed there for half as much if they had booked the trip directly instead of through a middleman. Salespeople sometimes claim that if you lose interest in something like a time share, you can resell it at a profit. Very often that's not the case, and you're stuck with it.
So if you're thinking about your summer plans and you want to make sure you don't get burned, here are a few suggestions on avoiding travel scams:
KNOW THE SIGNS:
DO YOUR HOMEWORK:
WHERE TO COMPLAIN:
If you believe a travel company has taken advantage of you, complain to the attorney general in the state where the travel promoter is located. If the offer came in the mail, you can also complain to your local U.S. postal inspector's office.