We’ve spoken about vacation scams before. Providing you with a list of the 40 most prevalent scams when you are on holiday. But there is more to watch out for. Free vacations, fake deliveries and even scams involving camels! Read on if you want to know more.
Free Vacations & Other Scams You Should Know
1. Free Vacations.
This scam is usually a little more sophisticated than your average one. You sign up with a travel club that offer you discounts and prize draws. And what do you know, you win! But they then make it impossible for you to actually book the trip. Giving you the run around until stating that you missed the deadline. Sketchy and any company that does this should be avoided like the plague.
2. Fake Booking Websites.
This is something that the FTC has recently been really cracking down on. There are a number of booking middle men that are happy to take your money. But instead of booking you a hotel room, they forget and just keep it. Either the entire site is fake or it is a clone of the actual website you wanted. Be careful and make sure you go to the correct url when booking.
3. Fake Bus Services.
This primarily affects countries such as Vietnam. Scammers either give you a completely worthless service or, in some worst case scenarios, take you to the wrong hotel and force you to pay for a room there.
4. Free CD’s!
Watch out for this in big cities. You get handed a free cd from a street artist. But when you try to walk away, the free cd is suddenly no longer free. They prey on you, shouting and getting in your face until you pay the required amount for their terrible music. Don’t ever take the cd in the first place.
5. Money Wires.
This is primarily to do with Craigslist adverts for rental properties. It can either be a completely fake advert or a carbon copy of a real advert, with the contact details changed. The victim then wires over the deposit, and it vanishes. Be careful when booking like this and make sure you have a way of doing charge backs for your cash.
6. Pizza Delivery.
This is usually done in your hotel or rental. You find a fast food menu pushed under your door. And sick of the hotel food, you decide to order out for the night. Unfortunately, you are not connected to a fast food place, but a scammer. They take you details and disappear with your money.
7. Time Shares.
Unbelievably, this scam persists to this day. You are lured in with the promise of free food and gifts. But what actually happens is you waste a day listening to a boring presentation mixed in with some heavy-handed high pressure sales. Run in the opposite direction if you ever come anywhere near a timeshare sales person.