With travel restrictions loosening up around the country, the need for many to break away and go anywhere that isn’t home is quite strong. Unfortunately, in their eagerness to get away, some may fall victim to one of many possible travel scams.
Whenever passion outweighs common sense, scammers find opportunity to pounce. In this case, the renewed desire to travel coupled with the eternal goal of getting a great deal can blind some to the realities of (almost) post-pandemic travel.
How can you get away without falling for travel scams? Here are some of the more common ones to keep an eye out for.
Exceptionally Cheap Travel Packages
With demand for travel increasing daily, the odds of running into travel packages that are both inexpensive and legitimate are unlikely. You should be extremely wary of any online ad pop-ups or unsolicited emails or phone calls you may get offering this kind of deal; they are probably travel scams.
This isn’t to say that you can’t find some good deals on travel. But you will need to hunt for them. To do so, go through legitimate travel booking sites. Or, start with the theme park or hotel where you want to go to see if they offer any direct discounts or perks.
Great Deal on a Great Rental Car
During the pandemic, rental car companies had to sell off some stock in order to stay afloat. Now that demand is back up, these companies are running out of cars to rent. And they are charging a whole lot for what is available.
As such, getting a great deal on a luxury SUV rental is not bound to happen, at least not in the short term. Go to rental car sites directly to verify availability.
Taxi/Rideshare Driver Who Knows the “Right” Way
Without a rental car at your destination, your options for getting around include public transportation, taxis or rideshares. Some unscrupulous taxi or rideshare drivers may take advantage of the fact that you don’t know the area and come up with a “shortcut.” Or there may be road construction to circumvent. Either way, you end up paying more.
You may not know the roads of your vacation destination like the back of your hand, but you can at least familiarize yourself beforehand with some basic routes. From the airport to your hotel. From your hotel to the beach. Etcetera.
Questioning any deviations won’t absolutely guarantee honesty. But showing you aren’t entirely ignorant makes it much more likely.
Fake Vacation Rentals
Some travel scammers will take advantage of people with online listings for breathtaking vacation rentals. Except:
- They aren’t the owner or official leasor for the place.
- The rental isn’t actually available. And/or…
- The place doesn’t exist, at least not where the supposed listing says it is.
To make sure you don’t fall victim to a vacation rental scam, your best bet is to book through a legitimate vacation rental site, like Airbnb or VRBO. These kinds of sites vet owners and offer a certain level of fraud protection.
Expedited TSA PreCheck Credentials
The idea of skipping long airport security lines is always appealing. But if you don’t have TSA PreCheck status, that long line is exactly where you end up.
The process to get or renew your PreCheck credentials takes time. And it must be done through authorized agents. Anyone offering to expedite the process or do it for a lesser than normal fee is a fraud.
Scalped or Fake Tickets
At your destination, you may run into locals with convincing stories about how they have tickets for a sold-out show, amusement park, or other attraction but can’t use them. You can have them for a fraction of the original cost.
The temptation may be great, but don’t do it. If they are legitimate tickets being resold for less than face value, that’s scalping, which is illegal. Or they could just be fakes that won’t actually provide you entry.
Pickpockets
This travel scam is an oldie but a goodie. And it basically comes down to being aware of your surroundings and having valuables secure. If not in your hand ready for use, money, electronic devices, or other valuables should be in an enclosed pocket or bag held close to your body.
Make it a habit to always have a firm grip on your possessions. That way, even if any distractions come up, you stay in control.
Even at the best of times, travel scams abounded. The fact that so many people are extra-desperate to enjoy a taste of post-pandemic freedom just makes them that much more prone to fall victim. But as long as you take a deep breath and hold on to your common sense, you will be able to enjoy a getaway without getting taken for a ride.
For more information about all kinds of scams, you can find it on the PeopleFinders Blog.
Photo credit: surflover – www.shutterstock.com
