This Travel Scam Fools People Every Winter. Here’s How To Spot It.

You’ve meticulously planned every detail of your winter escape ― researched the perfect destination, curated an Instagram-worthy itinerary, selected accommodations that promise an unforgettable experience. Then a scam ruins everything.

Travel scams are a predatory problem, and fraudsters have become creative in their methods. This is especially true when it comes to winter vacations, when people are booking seasonal excursions and festive trips and are easily duped.

In fact, there’s one big scam that captures people every year ― and if you’re booking a winter ski trip, you’ll want to be on the lookout for it. Here’s what to know:

If you’re one of the millions of people who take a ski trip each year, it can be tempting to scour for cheaper tickets for lifts and rental equipment, since the prices are usually high during prime season. But travelers should be vigilant when booking ski experiences, as scammers are increasingly targeting unsuspecting tourists with attractive but fraudulent deals.

After finding a seemingly bargain-priced equipment rental agency in Switzerland on Google, Monica Patel told HuffPost she was devastated when she never received her rented gear and lost her initial investment, forcing her to purchase expensive last-minute equipment. Her example is a cautionary tale for winter travelers.

“My partner and I booked rental equipment for our first ski trip online and were really excited because it was cheaper than what our friends had previously paid,” she said. “When we tried to contact the company in the morning to pick it up, we never got through and lost our money. Now, I rather pay more but have the comfort of knowing I will receive what I paid for.”

“Rather than putting your faith in a random seller on Craigslist or eBay, you should always book through reputable sources, like the resort’s official website and known accommodation providers,” said Dean Van Es, founder and CEO of Fast Cover Travel Insurance.

According to Cameron Temple, owner of the Luxury Chalet Company, a luxury ski chalet rental agency throughout the European Alps, fraudsters utilize Google ads to distract consumers from Airbnb and other platforms and deal with them directly. Once you’re on their website, there will often be red flags like incorrect property names, cheaper rates and unofficial addresses or telephone numbers. If you’re not looking carefully, you might think these are real deals.

The same goes for car rentals through alpine destinations. A common scam, according to Van Es, is when rental companies bill for damage to their cars and provide fake photos as “evidence” of a crash. To avoid being victimized by this, you should always take photos and videos of your rental car from every angle after you pick it up and before you return it. This way, you have evidence to disprove any fraudulent damage claims.

Ski-specific scams share certain things in common with other travel scams. Regardless of what time of year you’re traveling, there are a few prime red flags you should keep an eye out for. Here are some of the most common ones, and how you can spot them:

As with all things, if a travel deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. One of the most common scams involves fake rentals. To avoid becoming a victim of booking properties that are nonexistent or not as pictured, Lynette Owens, the vice president of global consumer education and marketing at the security company Trend Micro, recommended closely examining the lister’s profile and other details.

“Check for reviews from multiple users, look at the host’s profile and beware of prices that seem too good to be true,” she said. “Scammers will often create fake profiles or duplicate legitimate listings with slightly altered URLs or contact information.”

When publicist Dara Avenius decided to take a last-minute trip, she booked it through what she thought was a travel agency. Little did she know she was actually dealing with a digital predator. The first warning? An absurd claim that she couldn’t carry any baggage on her flight.

Avenius’ instincts kicked in. One quick call to her bank to dispute the charge revealed the brutal truth: She’d fallen victim to a sophisticated travel scam.

“Fake travel agencies are an increasing threat in 2024, preying on travelers seeking affordable getaways by creating convincing websites with irresistible deals,” said Cody Candee, CEO and founder of the travel and luggage company Bounce. Scammers provide counterfeit tickets, or simply disappear once they receive payment, leaving travelers stranded and financially vulnerable.

According to Candee, travel-related phishing scams are another threat to watch for.

Fraudsters send emails that impersonate travel companies by offering enticing deals on hotels and excursions, or asking for booking confirmations, to trick travelers into clicking links to provide sensitive information like bank details.

Owens recommended always using secure payment methods instead of wiring money directly or using bank transfers. Any request to move transactions “off-platform” for a discount ― like when you’re booking a vacation rental through Airbnb, for example ― screams “potential fraud.”

“Keeping payments on trusted platforms adds an extra layer of security,” she said.

One way to filter through phishing scams is with apps like Scamnetic that use artificial intelligence to detect scam attempts by email, phone, social media and text message.

You can also do a little recon yourself. “Travelers should check the sender’s email address carefully, hover over links to verify their authenticity, and never share personal information without confirming the email’s legitimacy first,” Candee said.

If you’re ever unsure, do some research before committing and paying. Trust your instincts. And if anything goes wrong, report it to your bank immediately.