TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Tourism is hitting record numbers in the Sunshine State, and summer travel is upon us. Make sure you know how to protect yourself against vacation scams.
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation has some tips to combat common scams.
Vacation Rental Scam: Generally, scammers post fake vacation home rental opportunities with crazy low prices to entice victims. These rentals typically require a large upfront deposit. By the time a victim arrives at their destination and realizes the vacation rental is sham, the money is long gone.
Sweepstakes Scam: If you receive a notice saying you won an all-expenses paid vacation to an exotic location, its probably a scam. Do not pay any sort of service fee or handling charge to claim a “prize,” because once the transfer is made, the money is gone.
Social Media Free Vacation Scam: Scammers may post offers on social media, asking people to share, comment or “like” the post saying you will win a vacation. But, your participation really only boosts their traffic on the post. The scammer will then add a link into the existing post to get victims to click on the link. This is how they can steal your personal identifying information.
Here are some extra phrases to be cautious of:
- Be extremely wary of the word “free.”
- Always use a company’s direct website when looking for special offers.
- Unsolicited offers are probably not legitimate.
- Beware of high-pressure sales tactics.
- Be cautious of offers that sound “too good to be true.”
The Florida Office of Financial Regulation recommends doing independent research to make a fully informed decision. A good way to know if a company is accredited is to check with the Better Business Bureau.
If you are a victim of a travel scam or to report suspicious activity, please file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.