| Most industry insiders wisely advise that if a | | | | consumer complaints and following up with |
| bargain travel offer looks too good to be true, it | | | | lawsuits. |
| probably is. If the deal is unbelievable, don't believe | | | | When the buyer makes a selection, he or she is |
| it. That's all you need to know to steer clear of | | | | often told that those dates are booked and to |
| what has become a continually growing, and | | | | make other selections. This can go on for months |
| disturbing, trend in the travel business - the travel | | | | until, in many cases, the buyer gives up. At that |
| scam. | | | | point, many disappointed buyers just eat their |
| It takes a variety of forms. One of the most | | | | losses' such consumer-protection matters from |
| widely known and advertised is the $30-49 | | | | the attorney general's office. |
| Hawaiian vacation. Callers who responded to the | | | | "It's where you buy a certificate for a vacation, |
| ads were told that they would receive a voucher | | | | generally to Mexico, but sometimes to other |
| good for two round-trip air fares to Hawaii for | | | | resort areas," experts say. "The certificates are |
| their $48.00 (with postage and handling). All they | | | | sold by a couple of companies, usually through |
| had to do was stay seven nights in a hotel and | | | | distributors around the country. They are way |
| book the stay - through the travel broker that | | | | oversold and usually for an amount of money |
| placed the ads - 45 days in advance. | | | | that makes it not financially feasible. The |
| The actual cost of the trip was upward (often | | | | certificate usually gives the purchaser the option |
| well upward) of $1.000. | | | | of picking a primary date to travel and two |
| While few who took the trips had any complaints, | | | | alternate dates - but only after a 45- to 60-day |
| the total price they paid was not much different | | | | waiting period. |
| from the cost of any number of similar packages | | | | People would buy the certificates for $200 or |
| offered by a number of travel retailers. And in a | | | | $300, then were told to send (an additional) $200 |
| period of deep-discount air fares - when some | | | | to Resort Vacations, $150 of which was to be |
| very inexpensive travel packages are available - it | | | | refunded after they took the trip. |
| is often difficult to discern whether a travel | | | | While some certificate buyers took the trips |
| bargain is really a bargain or simply a stroll down | | | | offered and received the refunds, many were |
| the garden path. | | | | frustrated by the delays and "fully booked" dates, |
| All travel scams appeal to the same human | | | | and sought help from authorities. |
| weakness: the desire to get something for | | | | But even you call the Better Business Bureau, and |
| nothing, or as near to nothing as possible. It may | | | | they may have no complaints. So the company |
| be a weekend in Cancun for the price of a bus | | | | can seem on the up and up. They may offer |
| ticket to Cincinnati. Or it may instead be your | | | | testimonials that profess "It was too good a deal |
| singular chance to throw some money down a rat | | | | to pass up, and I can't tell you how many people |
| hole and then sit around for months before | | | | I told about it." |
| discovering that fact. | | | | So how do consumers avoid travel scams?o Don't |
| And by the time you've discovered it, it's probably | | | | be pressured on the phone. Get in writing exactly |
| too late to do much about it. Besides, the amount | | | | what the trip will cost, what the terms and |
| involved may not seem all that large; certainly not | | | | conditions are and what dates are available.o Don't |
| large enough to hire a lawyer and go after the | | | | give out your credit-card number over the |
| perpetrators. | | | | phone.o Ask for references from people in your |
| Some of the most prolific of those perpetrators | | | | area who have traveled with the packager - not |
| are operating out of California, which is one | | | | those who have merely bought the package, but |
| reason that the office of the California attorney | | | | those who have actually made the trip. |
| general has been very busy investigating | | | | Join now Free the best Travel Deals of the week. |