How to Avoid Last Minute Travel Scams

School supplies have hit the store shelves, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for one last summer trip. But beware, because the pool of last-minute travel deals is filled with sharks.

Criminal scammers create fake travel sites that look just like the real thing and offer prices too good to pass up. They often copy legitimate rental listings, making it especially hard to tell the real from the fake. And they know how to get their fake websites to show up prominently in internet searches. Here are three tips to make sure that your last trip of the summer doesn’t go up in smoke.

First, be careful where you shop. If you aren’t using a trusted travel website, do the research to ensure that the company is reputable. Second, be skeptical of any pitch that offers steep discounts on travel and accommodations. And third, don’t trust any vacation seller who asks you to pay outside of the online travel platform or app.

Be a fraud fighter!  If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork  or call the AARP Fraud Watch Helpline at 1-877-908-3360.