Summer is a popular time for vacations, but it’s also prime season for scammers looking to take advantage of travelers and commit summer scams and vacation fraud. Whether you’re booking a vacation rental, thinking of adding your adventures to social media, or browsing on public Wi-Fi, staying vigilant is key. Here are some tips to help protect yourself while on your next vacation.
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Use reputable sites
Vacation rentals are often cheaper than hotels and offer amenities to make your vacation more enjoyable. Scammers frequently post fake listings, stolen photos, false descriptions, and too-good-to-be-true pricing, to lure in unsuspecting travelers. Social media platforms and sites like Craigslist are familiar places for these scams, making them prime spots for fraud. So, do your research when looking for vacation rentals. Read reviews, view traveler’s photos, and use reputable sites that don’t make you pay through a third party or by wire.
You can’t win if you don’t play
Remember that if you don’t apply to win something, you can’t win it. Scammers use this time of year, when many are planning vacations, to trick people. They send fake texts, emails, social media messages, and even make phone calls claiming you’ve won a free trip or luxury vacation. These swindles often ask you to pay a small fee to “claim” your prize or cover taxes and processing. Once they have your information, they can use it for identity theft, unauthorized charges, or worse. If you didn’t sign up for a giveaway, sweepstakes, or contest, it’s not real. Delete it, block the sender, and move on.
Keep it to yourself
While it’s exciting to let people know where you are and what you’re doing, sharing posts on social media is the perfect opportunity to let people know your home is empty. Criminals often peruse social media looking for just this kind of opportunity—they know what to look for, and they act fast. Even if your account is private, posts can still be shared or seen by others you may not know personally. So, keep those photos offline until you return.
Be wary of public wi-fi
Popular destinations are flooded with travelers during the summer which makes those same destinations hot spots for fraud. Public wi-fi is typically unsecured, meaning that anything you send or access while connected—like emails, passwords, or payment info—can be intercepted by hackers. This opens the door to identity theft, data breaches, malware infections, and even financial fraud.
By staying alert, using trusted sources, and being mindful of how and where you share information, you can enjoy your vacation without unnecessary risks. A little caution goes a long way.
Author: Rachel Caballero is Community Development & PR Manager at TruWest Credit Union. TruWest® Credit Union is headquartered in Tempe, Ariz. and operates as a cooperative providing its members with a lifetime of quality financial services and a culture of caring for its organization, employees and communities. TruWest is a strong and sound financial institution with more than 90,000 members and assets totaling more than $1.8 billion. TruWestCredit Union has 11 financial service centers —eight in metro Phoenix and three in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit https://truwest.org/.
