Planning a vacation? Don't get ripped off before you take off

MADISON (WITI) -- With summer vacation around the bend, Wisconsin consumers may be looking to save money on travel expenses by renting a vacation property from an online classified ad or by responding to an offer of a free vacation.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) asks consumers planning a vacation to be on the lookout for “too-good-to-be-true” travel and rental deals and to be skeptical of their claims.

“Watch out for fake property rental postings on online classified sites, as well as unsolicited calls or emails promising free or low-cost vacations,” said Sandy Chalmers, Division Administrator for Trade and Consumer Protection. “Though it may sound like an unbelievably great deal, it’s most likely a scam.”

Travel-related scams are a big business nationwide. Last summer, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced an international sweep to stop fraudulent operations involving timeshare resale services and travel prizes. The sweep involved 191 actions including three FTC cases, 83 civil actions brought by 28 states including Wisconsin, and 25 actions brought by law enforcement agencies in 10 other countries. In total, more than 180 individuals faced criminal prosecution in the sweep.

To protect themselves from travel fraud, vacation shoppers should look out for scam red flags including:

Consumers should also be on the lookout for high-pressure pitches for travel clubs. Travel clubs are paid membership-based companies that claim to offer significant discounts on travel opportunities.

They often have high membership fees and complicated cancellation policies and provide questionable value for the money. In fact, the “deals” are often no better than what a shopper could find online or are so limited in their destination and travel date options that members cannot find a decent booking.

To safely shop for travel, consumers should:

For additional information or to file a complaint, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call the Consumer Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-422-7128.