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Before slamming that laptop shut and slipping on your Hawaiian shirt for a well-deserved summer vacation, it’s important to keep an eye out for pesky travel scams while planning your next trip.
According to new research by McAfee, over one in three Americans have come across a travel-related cyberthreat, with 41% of those who’ve engaged with the hoax having lost money, often topping $500.
Benji Stawski, an NYC travel writer and personal finance expert, told The Post that it’s especially important to stay on high alert for hoaxes these days, as scammers are getting “smarter and more aggressive” — especially as AI use becomes more common.
“With AI, (scammers) can spin up flawless websites and emails in seconds,” said Stawski. “The old red flags like typos or broken English are basically gone, so travelers have to be more vigilant than ever.”
Stawski also added that anyone has the potential to fall victim to scams, no matter how “smart” you are.
“Smart people can absolutely fall victim,” he continued. “Scammers prey on urgency and the fear of missing out. When you’re stressed about prices going up or racing to book that last available room, your guard can drop. That’s exactly when they strike.”
Below, read the most common travel scams, along with new data from McAfee showing the percentages of the public’s likelihood to fall for them. This warning may help you be an educated, prepared tourist — and increase your chances of enjoying your getaway without a hitch.
Fake travel deals or promotions (15%)
The old adage “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is” definitely applies to suspicious-looking travel deals.
While appealing prices can sometimes be legitimate, especially when booking far enough in advance, Stawski explained that scam promotions most often show up as sponsored social media ads, along with “out-of-nowhere” emails that promise five-star hotels or first-class flights — all at motel prices.
A hallmark of the common con is “a price that defies basic economics, usually paired with a ticking countdown to force a rushed decision,” he added.
“This scam is particularly frustrating because it can take away from the excitement of planning,” said Stawski. “You think you scored the deal of a lifetime, then realize you handed your credit card to a fraudster.”
To avoid being ripped off, cross-reference prices on an airline’s or hotel’s official site.
Stawski advised that while there occasionally are legitimate deals through third parties, they generally won’t be half off the retail price.
Scam booking confirmations or updates (15%)
If you get a notification about a booking you don’t remember making, don’t question your memory just yet — question the legitimacy of the confirmation.
An urgent text or email claiming there’s a payment issue or your flight is canceled — often with an included link to verify details — is a red flag that you may be being faced with bamboozlement.
“The hallmark is immediate, panic-inducing language designed to make you act before you think,” said Stawski. “This scam hits when you’re most vulnerable, days before a trip or standing at the airport. Your adrenaline spikes and your instinct takes over.”
To avoid giving hoodwinkers your hard-earned cash, Stawski advises travelers never to click on the link in the message, and instead, go directly to the airline or hotel app to check your trip status independently.
Manipulated accommodation listings or photos (15%)
Ever seen a fast-food item that looks better in the ad than IRL? Accommodation listings that look luxurious online — but fail to live up to the hype — fall into the same category.
“The photos look like luxury, but the reality is often run-down,” Stawski said. “Look for heavily filtered close-ups that avoid showing the actual layout, and an absence of reviews from real guests … You (don’t want to be) exhausted after a long flight, standing on a sidewalk with your luggage, and realize you need to scramble to book something new.”
To protect yourself from accidentally booking lodging that’s less than ideal, he recommends letting reviews be your shield.
“Don’t just rely on reviews on the hotel’s own website — look at third-party platforms like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews and Reddit,” Stawski advised. “This is even more important for vacation home rentals. Never book a place without a solid history of detailed, recent feedback. Look for badges like Airbnb Guest Favorites or VRBO Premier Host, which signal that real travelers have consistently vouched for the property.”
Payment requests outside official platforms (11%)
Cash apps like Venmo and Zelle should be primarily used for paying back people you know personally — not booking travel plans or accommodations.
According to Stawski, this scam typically appears when a host messages you, claiming their payment system is down, after which they’ll ask for money to be sent over Venmo, Zelle or WhatsApp — often with a small discount as bait.
“The moment you move off the (official booking) platform, you lose all consumer protections,” Stawski warned. “The booking site won’t help you, and wired money is gone for good. Keep all communication and payments inside the official app, full stop. If a host asks you to pay externally, report them to the platform immediately.”
Fake vacation rental listings (10%)
What happens when the vacation rental listing you’re lusting over doesn’t even exist in the first place?
Unfortunately, Stawski explained that “ghost listings” for properties that don’t exist are all too common, and fraudsters hook you with stolen real estate photos and suspiciously low prices for prime locations, with zero reviews to back up their claims.
“You’re not just getting a bad room — you’re losing thousands of dollars to someone who disappears the second you land,” said Stawski. “It derails the entire trip before it even starts.”
Stawski emphasized that real reviews are “non-negotiable.”
“Fake listings rarely last long enough to build a genuine track record,” he added. “Stick to established hosts with platform badges like Airbnb Superhost or VRBO Premier Host.”
Fake airline or hotel websites (9%)
If an unfamiliar airline or hotel appears at the top of your Google search results as sponsored links that are nearly identical — but not quite — to major brands, don’t immediately rush to click.
Stawski explained that these sites, which are often the product of fraudsters, have one common giveaway — a web address that’s just slightly “off.”
“You think you’re booking an official ticket, but you’re actually handing your passport details and credit card number to identity thieves,” he said.
While you may still end up with a ticket from booking on one of these sites, it will likely come with a host of fake booking fees, and scammers are more likely to steal your information.
“Always check the URL before entering any information,” said Stawski. “Better yet, skip the search engine entirely and type the web address directly into your browser — or go straight to the official app.”
Customer service impersonation (9%)
Picture it — you search for an airline’s customer service number, only to find a fake toll-free number that surfaces at the top of the results.
Stawski explained that the mistake most people make is actually calling, leading to an agent answering “suspiciously fast” and immediately asking for your credit card number to cover a rebooking fee.
To avoid this hoax, simply don’t dial these numbers directly.
“You’re doing the scammer’s job for them by dialing directly,” Stawski said. “They know you’re stressed and just want a human on the phone, so they exploit that desperation.”
He added that it’s imperative never to trust a number from a quick Google search, and to only dial what’s listed on the airline’s official app or website.
“If your phone number is linked to that airline’s frequent flyer number, you’ll often even be greeted by your name,” he explained. “However, if you can, my tip would be to try to skip the call altogether. Using the airline or hotel’s chat support or DM’ing their verified social media accounts is usually much faster than waiting on hold anyway.”
English (US)