AARP Hearing Center
Last Minute Travel Scams
Scammers are using fake travel websites to steal your money. Learn how to spot bogus deals, protect your vacation plans and safely book your next trip online.
If you’re looking to squeeze in one more summer trip, be cautious—while great travel deals exist online, so do scammers eager to cash in on your vacation plans.
Criminals set up look-alike travel websites in hopes you will book with them rather than the intended company. And just because the link showed up when you searched “travel deals” doesn’t mean it can automatically be trusted. Scammers often buy paid promotions for their bogus travel sites, so they appear high up in search rankings.
Before hitting ‘confirm’ on that deal, make sure you really know who you are doing business with. Research a new-to-you travel site before booking by searching the company’s name along with the words “scam,” “complaint,” or “review” to read about other people’s experiences. And pay with a credit card, which offers stronger protections than other forms of payment.
Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.
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