BBB Tip: Travel safely with a Better Business

Stay safe while traveling with BBB's tips for avoiding scams, keeping your devices secure, and knowing who to contact if things go wrong.

Travel HQ

BBB has tips to help you stay safe while on your trip.

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5 top vacation scams to watch for when making travel plans

Scammers are always devising new ways to fool consumers, however, there are ways to protect against them. When planning your next trip, be wary of false promises and a sense of urgency that can fool you into paying for something that doesn’t exist. These are the five top vacation scams to watch when planning travel.

Top five vacation scams

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Airfare scams cash in on canceled flights

Airline industry profits are projected to exceed $25 billion in 2024 according to the International Air Transport Association, but scammers continue taking advantage of consumers by fabricating flight cancellation notices.

If you are buying airfare, use caution before providing your credit card information.

Know the signs of an airfare scam

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Be alert when booking a hotel online

If you are planning an upcoming trip, keep an eye out for hotel booking scams. BBB Scam Tracker continues to receive reports of travelers falling victim to lookalike websites.

Always confirm you are on the right website before making hotel reservations.

Avoid online hotel booking scams

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Renting a vacation home? Be attentive

Con artists pretend to own a vacation rental and insist on being paid directly rather than through the official rental platform. If you book with them, you’ll be out of money and face a potentially ruined vacation.

Learn how to spot and avoid this scam - and book with trusted companies.

Spot a vacation rental scam

Travel support hub

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How to keep your devices safe when traveling

The world is more connected than ever before – even on vacation. If you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you’ll likely be taking a device, or two, or three with you.

Learn how to keep your cell phone, laptop, tablet, and other devices, as well as the information stored on them, safe and secure with BBB’s cybersecurity tips for travelers.

How to stay secure while traveling

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Traveling abroad? Watch out for online passport renewal scams

If you’re traveling internationally, you may need to renew your passport.

This type of scam tricks U.S. citizens into paying a fee to fill out a renewal form that is a free download on the government’s website. As a result, consumers may be tricked into providing their personal and financial information on potentially unsecured websites.

Watch out for passport renewal scams

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Renewing Global Entry, TSA Precheck or NEXUS? Look out for misleading sites

For many frequent travelers, preparation for a trip involves renewing their enrollment in Trusted Traveler programs, such as TSA precheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS.

According to recent BBB Scam Tracker reports, con artists are creating lookalike websites in an attempt to trick you out of personal information and money.

Protect yourself from this scam