Many of us are booking vacations. But, before you pay a deposit or head to your location, there are a few things that you might want to do to avoid getting taken.
A lot of the problems are related to accommodations, such as people not being able to get their money back if they need to cancel, bogus ads for rentals that do not exist, and problems related to the marketing and sales of timeshares. But, there have also been issues with travel insurance that will not pay out and resolving disputes over car rental damage.
Before you pay a deposit or book any part of the trip, make sure that you are using reputable sites and businesses, and that you are reading the terms and conditions, especially cancellation policies. Watch out for ads that you might see on Craigslist or as a pop-up during your search. Check to see what others are saying about a place by typing in words such as “scam”, “complaints,” or “ripoff” during your search.
Buying travel insurance can be helpful for delays, cancellations, illnesses and damages. But, read the fine print. It may be best to buy this separately from a licensed insurer who does not have a relationship with your hotel, cruise line or airline. And, whenever possible, use a credit card to pay deposits and other charges. If something goes wrong, your card issuer may have additional travel coverage, concierge service and can help you to dispute a charge.
If something goes wrong during the booking, travel or afterward that you cannot resolve, you may be able to get help from a travel agent, your credit card company, or you can always contact our Call 4 Action office for assistance.
