BBB warns of Labor Day travel scams

Booking at the last minute can be costly

Cromwell, CT – Sept. 3, 2015 – As the Labor Day weekend approaches, many Americans are rushing to make last-minute travel arrangements; however, Connecticut Better Business Bureau urges consumers to be careful on travel booking sites.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates 34.7 million people will be traveling on the highways and in the sky this coming weekend, the most in six years. Scammers know vacationers often let down their guard, so they do their best to try to take advantage of them.

Here are some tips from BBB to prevent problems if you have yet to book your travel arrangements:

1. Use only reputable websites when booking a vacation. Some fabulous-looking listings are phony. Check out travel booking companies with BBB.
2. Never wire money for vacation rentals. A credit card is the safest method of paying for your Labor Day getaway.
3. Ignore e-mails that claim to be about a travel itinerary that you know you did not book. They are phishing for credit card numbers and bank info by trying to make you believe there is a problem with your arrangements, or get you to panic at the thought of an incorrectly booked trip.
4. Don’t over share information about travel plans on social media. Many burglars watch for vacant homes by reading your posts. Share your photos online only after your trip is over.
5. Keep track of your laptop and other devices at crowded airports; they often go missing at security checkpoints, where someone may pick up your property by accident or on purpose.
6. Remember that 90 percent of public Wi-Fi hot spots are not secure. Hackers can easily create a fake public network that looks legitimate but is actually connected to the criminals’ computers. Ensure you know the name of the proper network and avoid engaging in online commerce on networks that are not password-protected.

Labor Day is a time for celebration. Take extra care as you plan and play at your destination.

You will find additional travel and consumer tips at bbb.org/Connecticut.