There are some travel deals out there these days causing even veteran observers to do double-takes. But some travel deals aren’t deals at all. Plain and simple, they’re scams, aimed at separating you from your cash, often with nothing in return.
Travel is hugely popular with scammers. Estimates suggest that vacation swindles cost North American consumers more than $10-billion per year, making travel the fourth most common type of consumer fraud. Part of the attraction for scammers is that many travel products require a down payment before the product or service is provided.
The bottom line is that if it sounds too good to be true (You’ve won a FREE TRIP!) it most likely is. Legitimate travel companies can’t afford to give away their product. Following are some suggestions to help you evaluate travel offers and avoid being victimized by a travel scam:
If you think you’ve been scammed, contact your local Better Business Bureau or the ministry that handles consumer services in your province. You can also contact the Canadian Competition Bureau by visiting their website at www.competitionbureau.gc.ca or calling them at 1-800-348-5358. The Bureau investigates complaints of business misrepresentation, including deceptive telemarketing and advertisements.
Photo Credit: mict