Travel scams and safety warnings you need to know before taking vacation

Travelers beware: From vacation scams to insurance to personal safety, a few key considerations can make or break a big trip, according to industry experts. Here are four things to keep in mind as you plan your next vacation.If a vacation package or a time-share deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A significant number of people become victims of vacation package scams each year — with more than 55,000 travel scams resulting in losses of over $122 million in 2023, according to Federal Trade Commission data. While fake websites and AI can create anonymous internet scams, some are executed by bad actors posing as professionals ready to take your money in exchange for the perfect trip.“One thing that we’re seeing a lot of in our industry is scamming from people who are pretending to be travel agents,” Erika Richter, vice president of communications for the American Society of Travel Advisors, headquartered in Virginia, told Fox News Digital.Richter said travel agent jobs project 3% growth every year from now until 2032, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.“So we’ve seen a lot of people come into the industry, but the barrier to entry is really low.You need more hours and licenses to cut hair than you do to book travel for someone.”In December, an Atlanta-based travel agent was arrested for making alleged sham travel arrangements for George Mason University’s men’s basketball team after receiving over $100,000, according to the United States’ Attorney’s Office.“This travel advisor looked very legit but ended up scamming the whole team and their families and is facing felony charges…I’ve been with the organization for 10 years, and I’m seeing more and more of these just unscrupulous actors pretending and posing to be travel advisors and ripping people off,” Richter said.

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