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Nowadays, when it comes to booking our travel, it is mostly done online. Ironically, the only time we carry cash is when we’re traveling.
Whether it’s Airbnb, an all-inclusive resort, or airline travel that seems to go on and on, we’re probably browsing online for the ultimate purchase.
In fact, McAfee, one of the global leaders in online security, recently reported 94% of travelers Book their cruises online.
Unfortunately, we live in a world with many bad apples, both physically and digitally. People and companies cannot always be trusted.
Of course, there are major players like hotels.com and Priceline. In all likelihood, it’s perfectly safe to go with famous people in the travel industry.
But when it comes to relatively unknown third-party websites, things can get a little sketchy. But it’s not the only type of situation to watch out for. There are many types of scams that affect travelers.
McAfee also reported 1 out of 3 people who travel is cheatedoften lose $1000 or more!
What do online travel scams look like?
Online travel scams can look very different from one another. McAfee reports that 18% of adults have had their identity stolen and 14% have made a payment through an insecure website.
This includes the minority of people entering personal information such as IDs on these unsecured platforms.
Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans for 2023 Starting at $10 a Week
Even the FBI and FCC recently warned against using public phone chargers in public places, such as airports, due to “juice-squeezing.”
There are many scams to be aware of, but there are also many ways to combat becoming a victim.
These 6 ways to protect yourself Some of the most common online travel scams this year include:
Do not press ‘Checkout’ yet
Say you go to a popular website to book your hotel. You’ve filled out all the information and are ready to pay for your dream vacation.
Before you click ‘Checkout’, ask yourself how you got to this point. Did you click an unsolicited email link? Or did you submit the website yourself?
Phishing is a common tactic of getting Internet users to click on seemingly normal links, only to get the user to enter personal information in order to steal it.
Use secure Wi-Fi
In the new era of working from home or being digitally eternal, we can sometimes find ourselves working from a cafe, for example.
The problem with that is that the wi-fi connection may not be secure. Therefore, personal details can easily be taken and cause headaches.
Use a virtual private network (VPN).
Using a VPN is always smart. These are very affordable and sometimes cost less than a cup of coffee at a cafe with unsecured Wi-Fi.
The purpose of a VPN is to change your digital address, making it more difficult to access your personal information, especially for online banking and shopping.
Make sure your vacation rental is real
There can be a lot of misleading information when booking a vacation rental. If possible, travelers should check the property owner’s name with public records.
Guests can perform a simple property search to confirm the property’s geographic location. Google Street View. Public records can confirm that the address is legitimate.
Stick to the script
Any legitimate company listing vacation rentals will not allow cash or gift cards to be used as the primary source of payment. Save those for freedom!
Make sure you’re on the real website (not a phishing link) and use a secure payment method instead of a wire transfer or prepaid gift cards.
Buy a privacy protection plan
As good as the internet can be, having an extra pair of eyes is always a good plan to protect against fraud.
There are many security solutions online that monitor the web for your personal information, especially for identity theft.
At a relatively low cost, travelers can have peace of mind knowing their data and personal information is protected.
Traveler alert: Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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