Be extra vigilant when making your summer getaway plans!

There aren’t many things better than a summer vacation. Perhaps you and your family have somewhere you go every year, or maybe you like to mix things up. Either way, it’s something many of us eagerly anticipate each year.

Unfortunately, as is all too common these days, there are some bad actors out there looking to take advantage of you.

Fox Business recently put out an article detailing several travel-related scams that I thought you should be aware of:

Fake Travel Websites: Watch out for “spoofing,” which involves scammers creating a fake travel website, but once you make a payment, it goes directly to them, rather than to your vacation.
Suspicious Payment Requests: A travel website asking you to pay via gift card or wire transfer, for example, is a definite red flag. You should also be weary of anyone trying to strong-arm you into an immediate booking.
Disappearing Vacation Rentals: Scammers may try to capitalize on the popularity of sites like Airbnb or VRBO by offering you properties that don’t exist or don’t belong to them. Per the article above, you should be on the lookout for the following red flags:

** Property listings that require you to leave the website in order to make a payment on another unsecured platform

** Pressure from the ‘landlord’ to pay immediately

** Requests that you wire money to secure the booking

“You’ve-Just-Won-a-Free-Vacation” Notices: They may try to tell you that you have to pay something first in order to collect your prize (this should never happen!).

Unknown Travel Companies: If it’s a company you haven’t heard of before, a healthy dose of skepticism is always a good idea. Do your research and read reviews of the company.

The Fox Business article linked above goes into more detail on some of these scams. I recommend checking it out if you’re interested in learning more.

As with any scam, the best ways to avoid becoming a victim are to be cautious, trust your gut, do your research, and ask someone you trust for a second opinion.

And speaking of second opinions, they can be valuable in many areas of your life. When it comes to your retirement planning, I can provide you with a fresh set of eyes to look at your situation and give you the objective analysis and expert advice you need to be successful.

Call my office at (480) 513-1830 or grab some time on my calendar, and I’ll help make sure you have the retirement you dream of—complete with (scam-free!) travel.

Warmly, Charles

Charles C. Scott AIF®, CDP®

ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY®CERTIFIED DEMENTIA PRACTITIONER®

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