As the holiday season approaches, many people are eager to travel and reunite with loved ones. However, this time of year also sees a rise in travel scams that can turn joyous plans into stressful experiences. Staying informed and vigilant is essential to ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday journey.
As we plan trips to visit loved ones, it’s crucial to remain vigilant when booking travel arrangements. To ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday season, consider these important tips:
- Exercise caution with third-party booking sites, especially those advertising on social media. If a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is. Be wary of sellers requesting payment via wire transfers, cryptocurrency or cash transfer apps, as these can be red flags for illegitimate operations.
- Always research companies thoroughly before booking. Check their legitimacy, standing and recent reviews. Opt for reputable rental companies or travel businesses and carefully review their refund and cancellation policies.
- Use secure payment methods that offer fraud protection, such as credit cards or digital wallets. Avoid paying with cash, wire transfers or gift cards.
- Be cautious of unsolicited travel offers via phone calls, emails or postcards. If a deal is significantly below market value, it’s likely a scam.
- When booking vacation rentals, keep all interactions within legitimate websites like Airbnb or Vrbo. Requests to take conversations off-platform often indicate potential fraud.
- When traveling, notifying your bank about your travel plans is crucial to ensure uninterrupted access to your funds. By informing your bank of your destinations and travel dates, you can prevent your debit card transactions from being flagged as suspicious activity, which could lead to a temporary hold on your card. RCB Bank customers can manage their travel alerts via Card Management Tools.
Being aware of potential travel scams during the holiday season is crucial for safeguarding your plans and finances. By conducting thorough research and using secure payment methods, you can significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to fraud. By following these guidelines, you can better protect yourself from holiday travel scams and focus on enjoying your time with family and friends.
Prompt Reporting: If you feel you have fallen for a scam or suspect your accounts or identity have been compromised, report the incident immediately. RCB Bank customers can contact us at 855-226-5722 during business hours Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. excluding Federal Holidays or visit the RCB Bank Security Center website for detailed information. Need to contact RCB Bank Fraud Department on the weekend? Contact us at 877-361-0814 Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CST or Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CST (excluding Federal Holidays).
Contact other reliable sources such as the FBI and file a complaint at ic3.gov to contribute to efforts against these fraudulent activities.
Opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the author and meant for generic illustration purposes only. RCB Bank, Member FDIC.
Sources:
[1] https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/avoid-scams-when-you-travel
