AARP Eye Center
Travel scams are heating up just in time for summer, from bogus deals to fake booking sites and other schemes. Here is how to spot some of the most popular vacation scams.
Vacation Rentals
Scammers often create fake vacation rental listings, then pressure you to pay upfront through wire transfers, gift cards or other hard-to-trace methods. If a host asks you to pay outside the platform, it's a scam.
"Discounted" Offers
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.
What to Do?
- Be skeptical of steeply discounted offers and use a credit card for stronger fraud protection. If something feels off, take the time to verify before making any payments.
- Learn about any new-to-you travel site before booking by searching the company’s name along with the word “scam” or “complaint” or “review” to read about other people’s experiences.
Learn how to spot and avoid scams with AARP Fraud Watch Network. Suspect a scam? Call our free helpline at 877-908-3360 and talk to one of our fraud specialists about what to do next.
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