NEW YORK, May 26 — Thirty per cent of consumers say they have already been victims of a scam when booking a trip abroad or know someone who has been, according to a recent study* by antivirus, online protection company McAfee. Thirty-four per cent of those who have had money stolen from them have lost a thousand dollars or more. With rising costs of living top of mind for many, we’re all on the search for the best rates, but it’s key not to throw yourself blindly into booking a trip and to remain vigilant. Here’s a selection of best practices to help you avoid scams before you pull out that credit card.
Look for the padlock symbol in the address bar during payment
Whether you’re renting a house, booking a hotel room or a travel package... have the reflex of always checking at the top of your screen at the address bar displaying the site you wish to do a transaction on. It’s important to be particularly vigilant regarding the presence of a small padlock at the time of payment and notice whether or not the address is preceded by a https. If these aspects are absent, it indicates that the site does not encrypt the information and does not have an authentication certificate issued by a reliable authority. Therefore, it does not proactively protect users’ sensitive data, explains Avast anti-virus software. Besides, adopting double authentication for your payment card can be a way to be reassured.
Take your time
Online commerce sites are created so that everything is set up to encourage you to book as quickly as possible. A traveller has just booked a room or there are only two rooms available, there are only two seats left on the flight... Clearly this kind of information can cause consumers to feel under pressure to finalise their reservations, especially as travellers are well aware that prices, particularly in air travel, can fluctuate according to the day and/or number of connections. But don’t panic! It’s important to rush these major purchasing decisions. And if there really is only one room available, pay a visit directly to the official site of the hotel to check if a reservation is possible.
Compare reviews on various platforms
While for some travellers, reviews have become part of their essential toolbox for making decisions before booking — according to TripAdvisor, they are used by 96 per cent of consumers — there is still a portion of the population that doesn’t use them. While it’s worth consulting accounts of travellers’ experiences before booking, it’s important to not rely on a single review platform. Reviews, like prices, should be compared and “shopped.” “Some review managers remove all or part of the negative consumer reviews in favour of the more positive ones. This widespread practice can go as far as deleting all negative reviews altogether. Other review managers publish positive reviews very quickly, while deferring the publication of negative reviews, with the result that a majority of positive reviews appear among the most recent,” outlines the French government’s agency for consumer affairs and anti-fraud.
This allows consumers to take a step back from the sheer number of reviews, and also to be on guard against false comments. But don’t be suspicious of all reviews. In its recent “Transparency Report,” TripAdvisor demonstrated how fake reviews are spotted — and thus removed by its team of moderators. An algorithm does the clean-up while human verification adds another layer of security for consumers.
Double-check that the location rental you’re looking at actually exists!
A house that can accommodate the whole family and has a pool... a dream apartment with an unobstructed view of the sea at an ultra-competitive price... The descriptions can be very tempting! It’s best to check the truthfulness of the listing by sending an email to the owner, or by checking out their contact details either via social networks or with a simple online directory. In the case of a property offered by a professional, it’s easier to check it out and make sure it’s officially registered. You can also ask the landlord for additional photos and the exact address, as recommended by the PAP.fr website. Meanwhile Bitdefender antivirus software gives a good tip by suggesting that you pay attention to the presence of any inconsistencies and spelling or grammatical errors to guard against a potential scam.
Don’t get carried away!
The final golden rule to keep in mind for any vacation planning is to always take a step back from the offers that you have found. Unless you have been lucky in an official competition or prize draw via social networks, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever be offered a free vacation (unfortunately). Among their many pieces of advice, anti-virus software companies are united on this point. Beware of unsolicited phone calls, emails and SMS messages trying to sell you an incredible vacation as long as you pay for it immediately. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam, Norton warns. — ETX Studio
