Travel scams are increasing day by day. The probability of every other travel deal being a scam is quite high. Deceitful offers of exotic travel trips and unmatched travel deals are sent to you using all the possible modes of communications such as phone calls, text messages, faxes, postal mails and e-mails. The offers are so alluring that innocent people just want to believe them no matter what. Since the travel season is here, it will be good if you learn some things about how to avoid travel scams.

Never Trust Email Offers

Beware of tempting travel offers sent to you by email, especially unsolicited ones. Almost each of them is a scam. Scammers use bulk e-mail software to send tricky travel deals to the huge number of people and should definitely be avoided. Even if you get a phone call offering a travel deal, be very suspicious of that too. If you have not heard about the travel agency or company, get its contact info like office address and contact numbers. Check their credentials and reputation in the market. If you cannot get a legitimate address of the agency in your region, it’s most likely a sham.

Paying For Travel Club Memberships

Travel clubs asking for upfront payments for joining them to get their travel deals at discounted rates is the most common form of travel scams. Many travel clubs make money by selling high cost memberships and promoting inferior quality travel packages. There are many legitimate travel companies that require you to become their member, but they are usually free or quite inexpensive to join.

Too Good To Be True

All of us like to believe that we have won a free trip to some exotic travel destination we always wanted to visit. Hang on, don’t get too exited – read the fine print carefully or pay attention to the agent is saying. You may get free airfare, but you have to stay at a particular hotel or resort for a specific number of days, which can turn out to be shockingly quite expensive. Another form of these hard to believe travel scams is that you won a trip in a lottery or a draw. In order to win a lottery or public draw you need to enter first, and if you haven’t, it is most likely bogus.

Credit Card Frauds

Don’t share your credit card number with an agent over a phone, unless you have called their legitimate office and are sure that you are talking to a trustworthy representative. Furthermore, don’t provide any other important personal information such as your social security number or bank account details.

Hidden Charges

If you like the travel deal offered, always inquire about any other not mentioned or hidden charges such as taxes, service charges and possessing files. Travel scams often come with outrageous hidden charges and vague details like “stay at best hotels”, without mentioning their names. So always ask for such things before booking a travel trip.

Never Pay Upfront Payments

Never pay before you get all the details from the travel company. Typical travel scams will need you to pay upfront even to get the basic information.

Don’t forget to keep copies of all the receipts, tour program, booking cancellation and package refund policies with you. They will come handy if you need to file a claim later.  In addition, if you have paid using your credit card, you can always dispute the charges within 60 days of incurring them in case it turns out to be a travel scam or substandard deal.