Spring Break Scams: Don't let your vacation dream turn into a nightmare

All year thousands of Georgia college students count on spring break to be one of the year’s highlights:  a much-needed get-away from their sometimes grueling, stressful academic life, a time to explore a new destination, relax and have fun with their friends. Unfortunately, many of these same students will find themselves the victims of vacation scams that lure students by offering all-inclusive travel packages at irresistible prices.

The students may wind up in sub-standard hotels, pay additional fees for items they thought were included, have the details of their trip significantly changed at the last minute, not receive the amenities or activities promised, or, worst of all, students may pay for packages that don’t exist at all. When students try to contact the travel company for refunds, they often find that the company has disappeared or gone out of business.

Many of these fraudulent travel companies are found on the Web, but others may put flyers or posters around college campuses or send student representatives to solicit students directly.

Here are some tips to spotting and avoiding vacation scams:

• Be suspicious of promotions offering free trips or packages that seem too good to be true.

• If possible, purchase the travel package from a company you know. If you’re unfamiliar with them, check with the Better Business Bureau to see if the company has a good reputation or if anyone has issued complaints against it. You can also see if the company belongs to a professional association such as the American Society of Travel Agents: 703-739-2782, CrossSphere: 1-800-682-8886 or the United States Tour Operators Association: 212-599-6599.

• Ask the travel agent for referrals from several previous customers, then call them to see if they had a positive experience.

• Get the travel agency’s complete contact information.

• Get all the details of the trip in writing, including complete hotel and flight information, amenities, restrictions, total cost and cancellation policies.

• Confirm charter flights with the US Dept. of Transportation at 202-366-2396 or the FAA’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-322-7873.

• If you’re paying for anything up-front, use a credit card because it gives you more protection and dispute rights against fraudulent charges.

• If you find yourself the victim of a vacation scam, contact the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs at 404-651-8600 or 800-869-1123 (toll-free in Georgia, outside of metro dialing area).