If I have that question once a day, I would be willing to say it averages 3-4 a day. Everybody wants a free trip!!! That’s what makes the traveling public so gullible to some shady travel deals. The information I’ll talk about today comes directly from the Aviation Consumer Protection Page.
Unlike most products, travel services usually have to be paid for before they are delivered. This creates opportunities for disreputable individuals and companies. Some travel packages turn out to be very different from what was presented or what the consumer expected. Some don’t materialize at all!! If you receive an offer by phone or mail for a free or extremely low-priced vacation trip to a popular destination like Hawaii, Florida, or Las Vegas, there are a few things you should look for:
- Does the price seem too good to be true? If so, it probably is.
- Are you asked to give your credit card number over the phone? Don’t!!
- Are you pressured to make an immediate decision? Just hang up politely!!
- Is the representative unable or unwilling to give you the street address for the company? Become suspicious and suspend the conversation.
- Are you told you can’t leave for at least two months? (the deadline for disputing a credit card charge is 60 days and they know this).
- See if you can get a confirmed departure date, in writing, before you pay and ask if your payment is refundable; under what circumstances?
- If you are told that you’ve won a free vacation, ask if you have to buy something else in order to get it. If so, it’s not free.
If you decide to buy the trip after checking it out, paying by credit card gives you certain legal rights to pursue a chargeback if promised services aren’t delivered. The real risk is that they now have your credit card and associated information.
These are only a few of the tips I gleaned from that publication, but if you encounter any of these symptoms, proceed very cautiously. Remember, there is no free trip. . .someone is paying for it, and after a lot of stress and grief, it will probably be you.
The best tip of the day is to see a local travel agent if you want to go somewhere, preferably the experienced and professional travel counselors at The Travel Factory. We are located at 4150 Southwest Drive, or call us at 698-1421 or 800-760-4040.