(InvestigateTV) — More than 55,000 Americans reported travel scams in 2023according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumer watchdogs issuing new warnings for travelers.
THE Better Business Bureau® (BBB) is one of them, warning consumers to be on the lookout for scammers looking to take advantage of their vacation plans.
Melanie McGovern of the BBB said a common ploy is for scammers to impersonate third-party travel sites.
“We’re seeing a lot of legitimate third-party sites popping up, like hotel booking sites or travel booking sites. People are booking rooms thinking they’re booking rooms, and then the reservation is cancelled or is no longer available when they get there,” she said. “So we encourage people to check the website to see if it’s legitimate.”
To avoid these scams, McGovern advises booking hotels only on official sites, watching out for misleading ads, and researching companies you don't know. If there's a booking site that looks professional but has an unfamiliar name, proceed with caution.
Those looking for a good deal on a flight should be aware of discounters or additional fees to confirm reservations, McGovern said.
She also urged consumers to be careful about who they contact if they have a problem.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had reports of scams where people have done a search at an airport in a pinch and thought the first number that came up was a customer service number, but it turned out to be a scammer. Then they paid the scammer with their credit card, thinking they were booking a flight and they weren’t. So they had no money and they didn’t get that flight,” she explained. “So when you’re looking for that customer service number, you have to scroll down, look carefully to make sure it’s the exact airline and the real website before you start talking to the customer service person.”
McGovern also reminded travelers that a little leniency can go a long way when flight disruptions occur.
“It’s extremely important,” she said. “Even if the line is long and you don’t want to wait in the customer service line, sometimes it’s the difference between getting on a flight or getting stuck. So be patient and make sure you do that research properly.”
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