Travellers can be taken advantage of when travelling overseas. Often they are unfamiliar with the country and can fall prey to scams that can ruin their trip. Warning clients of the potential dangers can ensure that they have a better travel experience. Here are a few scams to warn clients about.
1. Fake travel agents
Booking a trip through a travel agent is convenient, however travellers should be aware of fake travel agents. One thing that should always raise suspicions is if a special sounds too good to be true. Always check that the travel agent is working for a legitimate firm. Bogus online agents will ask travellers to fill in details, including credit card details online and end up taking money for a non-existent trip.
2. Being short-changed
Agents should advise clients to familiarise themselves with the currency of the country they are visiting. Some vendors see tourists as an easy target and claim that they have been underpaid as a way of getting more money.
3. Fake tickets
When travelling, entertainment is often a must, and tickets should always be bought from a reputable outlet. Sometimes travellers are approached by strangers offering them an ‘amazing’ deal on tickets to an event that ends up being fake. If the deal seems too good to be true, travellers should not buy the tickets.
4. Fake guides
Advise travellers to stay away from people who claim to be tour guides. They may be part of a syndicate and encourage travellers to spend money on expensive items or outings for which the ‘tour guides’ then receive a commission. Agents should be proactive in telling their clients to use only the guide their agency has provided and to be cautious of strangers offering to show them around, no matter how friendly they are.
5. Card fraud
Travellers should be warned never to give their card details to anyone. Some scammers phone travellers pretending to be from the hotel they are staying at, and ask to verify the traveller’s credit card or payment details. Travellers should rather use reputable payment providers, such as PayPal, as a payment option.
