Christoper Elliott takes a look at fraud in the vacation rental systems. He offers tips about how not to get scammed.
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scams
These days, scams seem to be in the news, but they have to do with charitable donations to earthquake and tsunami victims. But, in spite of natural disasters, scams are an ongoing problem and come at us every day. Common sense and learning from experience (hopefully the experience of others) help us not get fleeced.
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Ah, the old Mexican insurance scam! Regular readers of this column already know about this one. It goes something like this: You rent a car south of the border, believing the rate you’ve been quoted includes all mandatory charges. But wait. When you get to the car rental counter, an associate tells you that without insurance, you’re not going anywhere. So you pay.
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A recent reader poll found that one-quarter of travelers believe scams against them – which are defined as cons perpetrated against tourists at a destination – are “worse than ever.” About 7 in 10 felt the threat was about the same as ever, which is to say, you still have to be on your guard when you’re away.
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Most agents, however, know better than to accept a new reservation from an unknown client who cannot come into the office and physically present cash, or the credit card with valid i.d. So, usually, that scam goes nowhere. Now, however, a friend of our office owner was almost victimized by a far more sophisticated scam.
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You’re on your dream vacation, sipping a cooler on the beach, soaking up the rays. Meanwhile back home, your postal carrier has left your credit card and bank statements in your mail box. Bad news: your identity is about to be stolen.
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