by: Jolana Klobouk
Congratulations!!! You have been selected to win an exciting luxury vacation to.......
Where have you heard that one before? Although there are many genuine travel offers, there are also many travel scams that defraud innocent travelers out of millions of dollars each month. Travel is a big ticket item and most people would like to save some money or even travel for free. Unfortunately, it opens the door to some unscrupulous individuals and companies who try to take advantage of this.
Travel packages turn out to be very different from what was originally offered or what the ?winner? expected. Sometimes, the company just takes the money and runs! So if you get a phone call or email offering a free or extremely low-priced vacation , keep these tips in mind:
The Most Common Travel Scams
- Emails, phone calls, or snail mail advising that you have been selected to ?win? a free vacation, free airfare, or a hotel stay, especially when you haven't entered anything.
- Ads for great travel deals or discounts with the condition that you agree to a time share presentation. You will be subjected to a high pressure sales pitch that is really not worth your time - unless of course you really are interested in buying a timeshare!
- Travel clubs that charge a fee for their great travel discounts and offers. There are of course may legitimate travel clubs but there are just as many that are not. Do your research well to make sure it is worth it.
- Contests which do not post or provide rules or requirements or even any details about the company running it. A legitimate contest will provide rules to participants and if it does not, it is probably just a ploy to get information on you.
How to Spot the Red Flags
- Does the price seem too good to be true? If so, it probably is.
- Are you pressured to make a decision on the spot?
- Did you get the call after business hours. Legitimate businesses normally operate between regular business hours.- Did they require you to pay before you receive any details about the trip, or ask you to pay for more information.- Are you told you can?t leave for two months? This should be cause for concern because the deadline for disputing a credit card charge is 60 days. - Is the supplier simply identified as "a major airline," or a ?popular hotel? without getting into specifics?
- If you have won a free vacation, you should not be asked to pay hundreds of dollars in order to ?claim? your prize.
How to protect yourself from Travel Scams
- Determine the complete cost of the trip in dollars, including all service charges, taxes, processing fees, etc.
- Pay by credit card, if you don't get what you paid for, you may be able to dispute the charges with your credit card company.
- Don't be pressured into buying anything, legitimate businesses don't pressure you to make a purchase.
- Get a receipt in writing. If you make reservations online, print out the itinerary and receipt.
- Find out the exact names of the hotels, airports, airlines, and restaurants that your package includes; if they tell you a "major hotel chain" or "major airline" ask for specifics
- Always ask for a copy of the cancellation and refund policies.- If you are told that you've won a free vacation, ask if you have to pay any money in order to get it.
- Be aware of what "subject to availability" means may not get the accommodations you want when you want them.
- Be aware that if you have been ?specially selected to receive our Super Duper Travel Deal offer" doesn't mean you'll get it free, it means you'll be offered an opportunity to pay for a travel deal!
And last but not least, be skeptical. Read or listen to carefully what is being said, not what you want to hear. We would all like to win that all expenses paid dream vacation to Hawaii, but like everything else, you get what you pay for if you don?t pay attention first.
About The Author
Jolana Klobouk is a former travel agent who has traveled extensively for work and vacations with her family. She is currently the editor of http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com and http://www.FlyFromCanada.com. Visit them for more great travel information.
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Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
by: Mansi Gupta
The land of myriad cultures, staunchly rooted in tradition, the habitat of millions of people belonging to varying religions and the country known for its distinguished history?India is a place worth visiting in the Asian continent.
Though India covers a small area on the globe, the country earns a widespread popularity. Apart from producing some of the universally eminent personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Kalpana Chawla, Sachin Tendulkar and the like, India has many other lures that add credit to its name. People from all across the world come to India to experience the divine grace and charisma in the cities of Haridwar, Rishikesh and Vrindavan etc. The great Indian temples most of which are an emblem of Indian mythology have been mystifying people in all corners of the world since ages. What to say about the contribution made by India in the wonders of the world?US President Bill Clinton...
Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
Airfare > Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
by: Mansi Gupta
The land of myriad cultures, staunchly rooted in tradition, the habitat of millions of people belonging to varying religions and the country known for its distinguished history?India is a place worth visiting in the Asian continent.
Though India covers a small area on the globe, the country earns a widespread popularity. Apart from producing some of the universally eminent personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Kalpana Chawla, Sachin Tendulkar and the like, India has many other lures that add credit to its name. People from all across the world come to India to experience the divine grace and charisma in the cities of Haridwar, Rishikesh and Vrindavan etc. The great Indian temples most of which are an emblem of Indian mythology have been mystifying people in all corners of the world since ages. What to say about the contribution made by India in the wonders of the world?US President Bill Clinton...
Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
Airfare > Finding Cheap Airfare For Indian Travel
Travel Insurance: Prevention Is Better Than Bills
Travel Insurance: Prevention Is Better Than Bills
by: Robert Thatcher
It is really fun going on a holiday trip. You will be so busy strolling around, doing what you do not usually do, like skiing, windsurfing and other activities worth spending your holiday with. Outdoor trip is really fun and entertaining. You are enjoying snow boarding but suddenly you broke your leg. We don?t know when accidents may happen. It is just practical to get a travel insurance plan.
Travel insurance plan is a way to minimize the considerable financial risks of traveling. These risks include accidents, illness, and missed flights, canceled tours, lost baggage, emergency evacuation and getting your body home if you die.
Each traveler?s risk and potential loss varies, depending on how much of the trip is prepaid, the kind of air ticket purchased, your state of health, the value of your luggage, where you?re traveling, what medical coverage you already have...
Travel Insurance: Prevention Is Better Than Bills
Airfare > Travel Insurance: Prevention Is Better Than Bills
Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
by: Susan Wong
Anyone who wants to enjoy a stress-free trip has to start with the basic concern of any traveler - how to effectively handle travel reservations. Below are a number of advice that may help:
- Decide on a travel plan - specific destination, how many days, what activities, routes, and other details. The attention given to this first step will ensure smooth sailing in making the necessary travel arrangements.
- If the destination is a foreign country, make sure all information that would be needed in making reservations are on hand.
How about booking your airline tickets? Below are some airline reservation tips you can use:
- If notification of your reservation is done by e-mail, make sure that the ticket price quoted is the same. Sometimes, some airlines claim the airfare booked earlier is no long available.
- If booking on online, use a reservation site...
Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
Airfare > Top Travel Reservation Tips For A Stress-Free Trip!
Six Steps To Planning A Hawaii Beach Wedding From Afar
Six Steps To Planning A Hawaii Beach Wedding From Afar
by: Blake Kritzberg
There's much to do when you're planning a wedding in Hawaii. But as with any destination wedding, a special wrinkle is that you'll need to take care of many details from far away. And perhaps you've never been to Hawaii before. All this can pile some frustration onto your planning, but in the end, there are few places in the world that can compare to the Garden Isle of Kauai, Magic Island off Waikiki, or Oahu's Paradise Cove, just to name a few of Hawaii's many jewels.
Here's a quick checklist of things to do and remember when planning a wedding in Hawaii:
1) First, find a location. This is the fun part. Pour over coffee table travel books at the bookstore -- try the "From the Skies of Paradise" series, for example. Eventually you'll settle on an island.
2) Next, you have a second decision to make: should you go with a resort, a wedding planner, or do it...
Six Steps To Planning A Hawaii Beach Wedding From Afar
Airfare > Six Steps To Planning A Hawaii Beach Wedding From Afar
The Two Biggest Lies About Abdominal Training
The Two Biggest Lies About Abdominal Training
by: Dan Farrell
If you have ever read a fitness magazine...
If you have ever watched TV ads about latest machines that will "magically" reveal your abs...
If you have ever gone to a gym and seen tens of people lying on the floor doing crunches....
Then beware - because chances are you are a victim of the two biggest abdominal training hoaxes!
Hoax # 1
Just doing some midsection exercises...
Airfare Travel Bargain Or Travel Scam? How To Know The Difference vacuum cleaner The Two Biggest Lies About Abdominal Training
Airfare > The Two Biggest Lies About Abdominal Training
Airfare watches Travel Bargain Or Travel Scam? How To Know The Difference
Cash Back And Rewards Credit Cards: Offers You Can?t Refuse
Cash Back And Rewards Credit Cards: Offers You Can?t Refuse
by: Ed Vegliante
The competition to get your credit card business has heated up so extensively that banks are literally paying you to take a credit card from them. Nearly every major issuing bank now offers a credit card that gives you bonuses for using their card. Consider the following offers you can find today on Internet sites where you can apply for a card online.
Cash Back Credit Cards ...
Airfare
Airfare > Cash Back And Rewards Credit Cards: Offers You Can?t Refuse
Finding the Consolidation Loans that You Need
Finding the Consolidation Loans that You Need
by: John Mussi
Consolidation loans can be very useful in a number of circumstances? they can be used to consolidate multiple loans at a single institution, to eliminate debts and combine them into a single monthly payment, and even refinance old loans into a single loan with a lower interest rate.
Different types of consolidation loans exist for people with a variety of different credit ratings, and are exceedingly...
Airfare loans Travel Bargain Or Travel Scam? How To Know The Difference
Airfare > Finding the Consolidation Loans that You Need
Facts about Inkjet Printers
Facts about Inkjet Printers
by: Karen Nodalo
We all know that inkjet printers are in the hype and at high prices. Not all people can afford to buy printers for home and business use. But nowadays, printers have been inexpensive that makes it easier to purchase. These types of printers are also made quiet and reliably fast and people can now produce documents that are printed with high quality.
The present inkjet printers have been more advanced which came...
Facts about Inkjet Printers Airfare Travel Bargain Or Travel Scam? How To Know The Difference photo printers
Airfare > Facts about Inkjet Printers