Travel scams cost Americans over $2.6 million between 2024 and 2025, with the average victim losing around $1,200 per incident.
Scams in the travel industry rose 18% during summer and 28% during winter peak seasons in 2024, making it one of the most targeted industries worldwide.
These numbers tell a tough truth that scammers are getting better at their game, and travelers need to stay one step ahead.
The good news? Most scams follow similar patterns once you know what to look for. From fake rental listings to phishing emails that look real, understanding these tricks helps you protect your money and enjoy your trip without stress.
Table of Contents
This guide breaks down the most common travel scams and gives you simple ways to spot them before they cost you. If you’re booking your first vacation or you’re a seasoned traveler, these tips will help you travel smarter and safer.
- Signs of a Scam
- Common Travel Scams and How They Work
- Common Tourist Scams and How to Avoid Them
- Travel Frauds to Look Out For
- Red Flags When Booking Accommodations and Activities
- All Phishing Scams Targeting Travelers
- How to Protect Yourself from Scams
- Stay Safe and Travel Smart with AvantStay
💡 Planning a safe and stress-free vacation? Travel and stay with AvantStay! We have a trusted concierge team to arrange and start your trip right.
Signs of a Scam
Scammers use similar tricks across different types of fraud. Learn these warning signs, and you’ll catch most scams before they catch you.
Pressure to Act Fast
Real companies give you time to think about your purchase. Scammers create fake urgency to make you act without thinking. Watch for phrases like “this deal expires in 10 minutes” or “only one room left at this price.”
Prices That Seem Too Good
Trip planning fraud rose more than 12% last year, often involving deeply discounted tours or experiences that vanish after payment. If a luxury hotel costs half the normal rate or flights are way cheaper than anywhere else, something’s probably wrong.
Vague or Missing Details
Legit travel companies provide clear information about what you’re buying. Scammers keep things vague on purpose. Missing addresses, no phone numbers, or unclear cancellation policies are all red flags.
Requests for Unusual Payment
Be extra careful if someone wants payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. These payment methods are nearly impossible to reverse once the money’s gone. Credit cards offer the best protection against fraud.
Poor Communication Quality
Bad grammar, spelling mistakes, and unprofessional emails often signal a scam. Legitimate companies don’t send messages full of errors or use suspicious email addresses. Always check the sender’s email address carefully, as scammers often use fake versions that look similar to real companies.
Common Travel Scams and How They Work
Knowing the specific tricks scammers use helps you avoid falling for them. Here are the most common scams hitting travelers today.
Fake Booking Websites
Scammers create fake booking sites or copy trusted ones for vacation rentals, often using real property photos that aren’t actually for rent. You book what looks like a great deal, pay in full, then show up to find the property doesn’t exist or someone else is staying there.
How to avoid it: Book through well-known platforms like AvantStay, Airbnb, or VRBO. Check for reviews from multiple guests. Do a reverse image search on property photos to see if they appear elsewhere online.
Overcharged Taxi Rides
In cities like Bangkok and Jakarta, taxi and car rental fraud make up 48-66% of all reported travel scams. Drivers claim broken meters, take longer routes, or switch bills when giving change.
How to avoid it: Use ride-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft when possible. If you must use a taxi, agree on the fare before getting in. Always count your change carefully.
ATM Skimming
Scammers attach devices to ATMs that steal your card information when you withdraw money. Some machines have fake keypads that record your PIN. “Helpful” strangers might watch over your shoulder to see your code.
How to avoid it: Only use ATMs inside banks or well-lit public areas. Check for loose parts on the card slot or keypad. Cover the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN.
Fake Tour Guides and Closed Attractions
Someone approaches you near a popular tourist spot and says it’s closed for a special event. They offer to take you somewhere else and usually to shops where they get commission on anything you buy, or to overpriced tours.
How to avoid it: Check attraction hours online before your visit. Decline unsolicited help from strangers at tourist sites. Buy tickets directly from official websites or booths.
The Friendship Bracelet Trick
A friendly person puts a “free” bracelet on your wrist or hands you flowers. Once you have it, they demand payment and cause a scene if you refuse. Sometimes a partner pickpockets you while you’re distracted.
How to avoid it: Don’t let strangers put anything on your body. Keep your hands in your pockets when walking through crowded tourist areas. Simply say “no thanks” firmly and keep walking.
Common Tourist Scams and How to Avoid Them
Scammers target tourists from the moment they arrive until they leave. Here’s what to watch for at different points in your trip.
Airport Scams
Unofficial “taxi” drivers approach you inside the terminal, offering rides at “special rates.” They take you to their unmarked vehicle and charge whatever they want. Some pretend to be hotel representatives offering free shuttles that actually cost money.
How to avoid it: Only use official taxi stands or pre-arranged transportation. If your hotel offers pickup, confirm the driver’s name and company before getting in any vehicle.
Agent Scams
With 308 reports of travel agent or agency scams, these schemes often appear through social media or unsolicited calls and texts with too-good-to-be-true deals. Fake agents copy official websites to look exactly like reputable travel companies.
How to avoid it: Book through established platforms with buyer protection. Be suspicious of agents who contact you first, especially through social media. Verify any agency through independent research before paying.
Rental Scams
Scammers hijack real rental listings and advertise them as their own, so when you arrive, other people are also booked for the same property. You end up with no place to stay and no way to get your money back.
How to avoid it: Book vacation rentals through trusted sites like AvantStay that verify properties. Never pay outside the platform’s payment system. If a host asks you to communicate or pay outside the site, that’s a major red flag.
Street Distraction Scams
Someone “accidentally” spills something on you, then a helpful stranger appears to wipe it off, while picking your pocket. Or kids surround you with petitions to sign while their partners steal from your bag.
How to avoid it: Keep bags zipped and in front of you in crowded areas. Wear a money belt under your clothes for important documents. If something seems off, walk away immediately to a safe, public space.
Travel Frauds to Look Out For
Fraud goes beyond street scams. It includes sophisticated schemes targeting your credit card and personal information.
Credit Card Travel Fraud
Scammers steal credit card details through fake booking sites, skimmers, or data breaches. Payment fraud costs airlines around $1 billion every year, with about 1.2% of their annual revenue lost to fraud. They use this info to make purchases before you even realize your card is compromised.
How to prevent it: Use credit cards instead of debit cards for travel purchases. Check your statements regularly for charges you don’t recognize. Set up alerts for all transactions over a certain amount.
Fake Travel Agencies
Globally, fake travel agency scams are more than four times as common as other forms of travel fraud, with 70% of travel scams in Hong Kong tied to fake operators. These websites look professional and offer great deals, but after you pay, the company disappears.
How to prevent it: Research agencies before booking. Look for reviews on multiple sites, not just their own website. Check if they’re registered with travel industry associations. Call them directly using a phone number you find independently, not one from their email.
Refund Scams
After a legitimate booking gets canceled, scammers send fake refund emails. Some scammers hack into actual hotel booking platforms and contact you through official channels, making the scam look completely legitimate. They ask you to “verify” your credit card info to process the refund, then steal your details.
How to prevent it: Never click links in unexpected refund emails. Go directly to the company’s website by typing the address yourself. Contact customer service through official channels to verify any refund claims.
Timeshare Scams
Timeshare scams are the second most costly travel scams in the U.S., with $617,000 lost by victims looking to share luxury accommodations. High-pressure sales tactics push you to sign contracts with hidden fees and impossible exit clauses.
How to prevent it: Never sign anything at a timeshare presentation without reading it carefully. Take documents home to review them with someone you trust. Remember that legitimate deals don’t require same-day decisions.
Red Flags When Booking Accommodations and Activities
Knowing what to look for when booking your vacation rental or activities can save you from losing money and ruining your trip.
Website Warning Signs
Legitimate companies invest in professional websites. Be careful if the site has broken links, missing contact information, or no physical address listed. Poor-quality photos or stock images instead of real property pictures are red flags.
Check the URL carefully. Scammers create websites with names similar to trusted companies but with small spelling changes. A secure site should have “https://” and a padlock icon in the browser bar.
AvantStay provides a professional, secure website with real property photos, detailed descriptions, and full information for every listing.
No Verifiable Reviews
Real vacation rentals and tour companies have reviews across multiple platforms. If you only find reviews on their own website, or all reviews are five stars with similar wording, something’s wrong.
Search for the company name plus “review” or “complaint” on Google. Check sites like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau. A complete absence of reviews for an “established” company is suspicious.
With AvantStay, you can find our verified guest reviews from real travelers across multiple platforms, giving you confidence in your booking decision.
Payment Red Flags
Legitimate vacation rental companies use secure payment systems through their platforms. Never wire money directly to someone’s bank account or send payment through apps like Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App for initial bookings.
Be suspicious if they ask for full payment upfront with no refund policy. Most trusted companies require a deposit first, with the balance due closer to your stay date. Gift cards, cryptocurrency, or Western Union payments are almost always scams.
Trusted platforms like AvantStay use secure payment processing and transparent pricing, so you know exactly what you’re paying for without hidden surprises.
Communication Issues
Professional companies respond to questions clearly and promptly during business hours. Watch out if they avoid answering specific questions about the property or activity. Pressuring you to book immediately without giving you time to think is a major red flag.
If they insist on communicating only through text or messaging apps instead of the booking platform, that’s suspicious. Legitimate companies keep records through official channels to protect both you and them.
With AvantStay, we have a dedicated 24/7 guest experience team and a team of local property managers that can guide and assist you during your travels.
Missing or Vague Cancellation Policies
Every legitimate booking should have a clear cancellation and refund policy in writing. If a company can’t or won’t provide this information, don’t book with them.
Read the fine print carefully. Some scam operations have policies so strict that you can never actually get a refund, no matter what happens. Reasonable cancellation terms show a company stands behind its service.
Here at AvantStay, we make sure you understand your cancellation policies even before booking and paying for your stay.
Too Many Fees and Hidden Costs
While cleaning fees and service charges are normal, be wary of vacation rentals or activities with excessive, unexplained fees. The total price should be clear before you complete your booking.
Scammers sometimes advertise low base prices, then add numerous fees that double or triple the cost.
Legitimate companies like AvantStay will show you all costs upfront with no surprise charges at checkout.
All Phishing Scams Targeting Travelers
Phishing tries to steal your information through fake emails, texts, or calls that look like they’re from real companies.
Signs of Phishing Scams
Real companies don’t create fake urgency or threaten you. Phishing emails often include misspellings, grammar mistakes, a sense of urgency, suspicious links, and requests for personal information from odd email addresses. The message might say your booking failed or your account has suspicious activity.
How to spot them: Check the sender’s email address carefully. Legitimate companies use professional email addresses, not free services like Gmail. Look for small misspellings in the domain name (like “advantstay.com” vs “avanstay.com”).
Please note that our only correct domain is a-v-a-n-t-s-t-a-y.com.
Types of Phishing Scams
- Email Phishing: Fake emails appear to be from airlines, hotels, or booking sites. They include links to websites that look real but steal your login and payment information when you enter them.
- Phone Phishing: Someone calls claiming to be from your credit card company or airline. They say there’s a problem with your booking and need to “verify” your information right away.
- Text Message Phishing: You get a text saying your flight is canceled or your hotel needs updated payment info. The link goes to a fake website designed to steal your details.
- Social Media Phishing: Ads on Facebook or Instagram offer incredible travel deals. Clicking takes you to scam sites that collect your information or payment without delivering anything.
How to Protect Yourself from Phishing
Never click links in unexpected messages about bookings or payments. Instead, open your browser and go directly to the company’s official website. Log in to your account there to check if there are any real issues.
If you get a call about a booking problem, hang up and call the company back using a number you find on their official website. Don’t use any phone number provided in the suspicious call or message.
Look for “https://” at the start of website addresses and a padlock symbol in your browser. These show the connection is secure, though scammers can sometimes fake these too.
How to Protect Yourself from Scams
Following these safety tips dramatically reduces your chances of getting scammed while traveling.
Use Credit Cards Over Other Payment Methods
Credit cards offer the best fraud protection. Travelers can protect themselves by booking trips using credit cards with fraud protection, which makes it easier to dispute charges. You can file chargebacks for unauthorized charges, something impossible with wire transfers or gift cards.
Research Before You Book
Spend time reading reviews on multiple sites, not just the company’s own website. Google the company name plus “scam” or “complaint” to see what others experienced. Check how long the company has been in business.
Get Everything in Writing
The FTC recommends getting a copy of cancellation and refund policies before you pay. If these can’t or won’t be provided, walk away. Screenshot confirmations, save emails, and keep receipts for everything you purchase.
Watch for Travel Red Flags
Be extra careful during peak travel seasons when scams increase. Unusually low prices in popular destinations should make you suspicious. Companies that rush you or refuse to answer questions are bad signs.
Follow Essential Traveling Safety Tips
Tell your bank and credit card companies when you’re traveling so they don’t flag legitimate purchases as fraud. Use secure networks, not public Wi-Fi, when booking travel or checking bank accounts. Keep copies of important documents in a separate place from the originals.
Report Suspicious Activity
If something feels wrong, trust your gut. Report suspected scams to local police, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Better Business Bureau. Contact your credit card company immediately if you think your card information was stolen.
Book Through Trusted Platforms
Use established vacation rental sites like AvantStay that verify properties and offer customer protection. These platforms have security measures in place and real customer service teams to help if problems arise.
Key Takeaways
Travel scams might be on the rise, but you’re now armed with the knowledge to spot them before they cost you money. The key is staying aware without letting fear ruin your vacation. Most people you meet while traveling are genuine and helpful, and scammers are just a small fraction.
Remember the basics: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Take your time with decisions, especially when money’s involved. Use secure payment methods that offer protection. And trust your instincts when something feels off.
And the best way to avoid scams is to plan ahead and book through trusted companies. When you’re ready to book your next vacation, choose platforms that verify their listings and stand behind their properties.
Stay Safe and Travel Smart with AvantStay
Ready to plan a worry-free vacation? Browse verified vacation rentals at AvantStay, where every property is real, every booking is protected, and your safety comes first. Start your next adventure with confidence today.
