PHOENIX — Travel scams are becoming more sophisticated as Labor Day weekend approaches on September 7, and they could cost you money and ruin your vacation plans.
One Let ABC15 Know viewer, Cher, thought she was calling American Airlines after her flight was canceled. The number she found online led her straight to a scammer.
Scammers create fake customer service websites for airlines, cruise ships, and other travel companies and push those sites to the top of search results. When Cher went online to find American Airlines' number, the number she called wasn't the airline — it was someone pretending to be.
"You're gonna have to pay us $1,010 and we're gonna give you $2,020 and we're gonna give you a one-way ticket," Cher said the scammer told her.
Here's how to protect yourself:
Always use the contact information on your reservation or ticket, not a random Google search.
Be suspicious of hotel calls asking for your credit card number — especially if the caller claims there's an urgent system crash or that you need to act right away. Never give out your 3-digit security code.
If a vacation rental seems too good to be true — low fees, amazing amenities — it probably is. The property might not even exist.
Before booking a rental, make sure there's more than just an email contact. Google the rental company with words like "review," "complaint," or "scam."
Use Google Maps to verify the property matches the listing photos.
"Free vacation" ads are never actually free. Read the fine print — hidden fees or high-pressure sales pitches are often part of the deal.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
