Planning a trip is time-consuming to most busy people. As such, most of us try to deal with middlemen such as a travel agent, who will fix everything for us and deliver us the best deals. However, even our little "me-time" is now being exploited by these scam artists promising a better deal for our next vacation. This new kind of fraud snag victims with an irresistible deal, or a simply unpassable bargain offer. However, passing up is probably the smartest thing to do in such cases. As the old saying goes, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is." Once they've baited you, these scams typically ask for an advance payment. As soon as the money is wired, however, the "company" vanishes, along with any dreams of spending that holiday on the beaches of Spain or that quaint cottage on the Alps. When this happens, it's next-to-impossible to reclaim your money from these scam artists. As always, early prevention is better than filing complaints later on. Below are some helpful tips on how to spot a scam: Be Skeptical: Retaining a healthy dose of skepticism would help you survive this challenge. Most scams start by sending you unsolicited emails, letters and postcards, or invitational calls telling you that you won a contest you didn't join, or you luckily got selected for a luxurious vacation in the best holiday destination. Being wise and doubtful for the right reasons saves you a lot of time from being scammed and avoiding the risk of investing a big amount of money for a foolish-make-believe trip. Research Ahead: The best way to outsmart the scammers from their malicious wrongdoings is by being ready ahead of time. Research over the internet some travel scams that were experienced by co-travelers and learn from it. When dealing with agents or companies offering unbelievable deals, try to do your homework by conducting a background check on them, if they are certified members of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the largest group of travel agents and companies in the US. In addition, you need to be a careful reader before signing any deals. Read the fine-print and the restrictions imposed upon the package. Private info should remain private: Do not hand out information unless truly necessary or the recipient is authentic. Names, addresses and most especially credit card numbers should be guarded like jewelry. Hand them out only after you're confident enough to initiate a transaction with the company. Get their details: Before even paying any amount, companies and agents should present you with detailed travels schedules conforming to your specified dates. Check the info with the hotels and airlines, and keep an eye on the overall payment, change of date or cancellation penalties, and other fine print. Once you have made the transaction, contact the hotel and airline, and assure that your name is in the database. Beware of red flags: Scam artists are smooth by years of cunning and experience in the trade, so be sure to have a sharp eye to spot the seams. Sometimes they will even turn the tables around, to make it look like you're the one under scrutiny before you can avail of their "promo". They might ask for your annual gross or monthly salary. When these red flags pop up, its your signal to walk away. Why need such info unless they're collecting your taxes? These are just some of the basic tips on how to spot the wolves in the holiday fields. Remember, if you want a dream vacation, you need to exert a little effort to avoid a nightmare situation. Good luck!
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