One of the downsides of travel is that you can leave yourself vulnerable to scammers.  When you get caught up in the excitement of planning a trip or exploring a new destination, you might be less likely to stay alert to potential scams.  Here are just three travel scams to watch for as you plan your travels for 2023 and beyond.

Transport

Transport-related scams have been around a long time.  These types of scams can include taxi drivers who take you the long way round to jack up the fare, known in Las Vegas as “long-hauling”.  Fortunately, using licensed taxis means drivers are subject to certain rules, while passengers can lodge a complaint with the licensing board.  However, a bigger danger is using unlicensed taxis, where you are vulnerable to being exploited without any redress.  Along with the risk of being overcharged, it is also important to consider your personal safety when getting into an unlicensed taxi.

You can avoid falling victim to transport scammers by planning ahead.  Do some research into your transport options before you leave home.  Find the names of some local licensed taxi firms and confirm the fare before setting off.

Tours, Excursions and Activities

These areas of travel are ripe for scammers.  Many travellers arriving in a destination want to take day trips and excursions to see the area and take part in activities.  Scammers prey upon eager travellers by charging high prices, not showing up, or worse, leaving you stranded.  Again, there is a personal safety aspect to this, especially if the activity involves something where injury is more likely to occur, such as bungee jumping, horse-riding or scuba diving, or takes you to a remote location.  Non-genuine providers are unlikely to have health and safety measures in place to protect their customers.

Avoid these types of scams by booking through legitimate companies.  Ask at your hotel or a local travel agency and check out the reviews of previous travellers to get a sense of the tour company’s legitimacy.  Also, always have comprehensive travel insurance in place that covers all the activities you plan to do while you are away.

Vacation Rentals

With the rise in popularity of Airbnb and other vacation rental platforms has come increased opportunities for scammers to take advantage of travellers looking for accommodation.  Popular scams include fake listings, whereby the customer pays for accommodation that is not available.  Scammers might also intercept legitimate listings, stealing payments made for genuine rental offerings.

If you’re wondering how to avoid vacation rental scams, there are some things you can do to minimise your chances of falling victim to fraudsters.  Firstly, ensure you book through a reputable platform and always transact through the site.  Listings that offer premium rentals at a low price or have poorly written adverts can also be a sign that you are dealing with a scammer.

Overall, since the pandemic, people have flocked back to international travel.  Unfortunately, this also means increased risk of travel-related scams.  As such, it is important to stay alert to potential fraud and to take steps to ensure you (and your money) stay safe when planning and enjoying your next adventure.