SALT LAKE CITY — Whether you’re hitting the friendly skies or the road for your summer vacation, one thing you don’t want to be hit with: a scam. That’s why Utah’s Division of Consumer Protection wants you to make your travel checklist with some things in mind.
“It’s really important that you look at the terms and conditions of how to cancel, whether it’s an Airbnb, VRBO, maybe just somebody you found on the marketplace, really make sure that they’re asking for payment in traditional formats,” said Katie Hass, director for the Division of Consumer Protection. “Credit card, Venmo, check, but I’d be very concerned about sending cash to anybody that is not vetted.”
What else should you specifically be looking for in those terms and conditions? One would be the “force majeure” clause.
“You want to look at what that clause says because if you can’t get your airline ticket money back, if you can’t get your Airbnb back, and there was a hurricane or volcano, whatever it might be that’s happening in that area, it’s something that’s good for you to understand,” added Haas.
What about those enticing vacation packages that pop up online? While some of them are dreamy destination deals, a dose of skepticism is necessary.
“We have seen an uptick in vacation club discounts, not necessarily timeshares, but places where you can go to get signed up for a membership and then you’re supposed to have access to all these very discounted type clubs,” Hass explained. “I would be suspicious of any text message or any call that is inviting me to participate in any type of travel vacation deal.
"It’s most likely a scam, and you should probably not use that, and by probably, I mean don’t.”
It’s also a red flag if the company wants you to pay a large sum of money up front. And if you’ve never heard of a company or the accommodations they promote, do not click on their website; it could be a trap set by would-be scammers.
“Once you click on those links, sometimes you get on a list of somebody who would click on those links,” said Haas. “Think about your future self and say, ‘I’m not going to click on this link. If I really want to learn more about this company, I’m going to go to the Internet and I’m going to see what I can find out about them first.'"
Remember, online reviews can be your friend.
Don’t just rely on what you see presented.
Sometimes it takes a little vetting before you vacation.
