Summer is prime time for travel-related scams.
By now, you may have heard about toll-road payment scams: You receive a text or e-mail that seems to be from a legitimate toll-payment company, such as E-ZPass in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, FasTrak in California or I-PASS in Illinois.
The sender's number may be spoofed, and the text will include a link that asks you to pay the toll immediately or verify your information. It may seem like an obvious scam, unless you recently traveled on the road mentioned in the text.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
If you fall for one of these schemes and provide your payment information, the scammers may use your credit or debit card number to make purchases.
Never click on a link in a text or e-mail claiming to be from a toll-road operator. Instead, go to the operator's website and log in to your account, or call the company to verify whether you owe money.
Vacation rental scams
Also beware of other travel scams. On vacation-rental websites, keep an eye out for fake listings, in which a fraudster advertises a rental that doesn’t exist and collects money before you arrive.
Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), recommends looking up the address on Google Maps and using the Street View feature to see whether the property matches what’s shown in the listing.
Airline scams
If you need to call an airline's customer service department, make sure you have the right number.
After a storm disrupted travel last summer, some people whose flights were canceled or delayed looked up their airlines' phone numbers with a web search, which turned up fake numbers on the results page.
When customers called the fraudulent numbers, scammers told them they could get on another flight for, say, $17 more and asked them to provide their payment information, Murray says.
People didn't realize they were giving their credit card numbers to thieves.
Rather than call a number that shows up at the top of online search results, get the number through the airline's app or go directly to its website, Murray says.
Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.
Related content
-
'Humbug!' Say Consumers, Despite Hot GDP: Stock Market Today"The stock market is not the economy," they say, but both things are up. Yet one survey says people are still feeling down in the middle of this complex season.
-
The SEC Is Concerned for Older Investors and Retirement Savers. Here's What You Should KnowThe SEC focusing on older investors, retirement and college savers, and private securities. Here's how those changes impact you.
-
Vesting, Catch-Ups and Roths: The 401(k) Knowledge QuizQuiz Test your understanding of key 401(k) concepts with our quick quiz.
-
How to Protect Yourself and Others From a Troubled Adult Child: A Lesson from Real LifeThis case of a violent adult son whose parents are in denial is an example of the extreme risks some parents face if they neglect essential safety precautions.
-
Here's How Much You Can Earn with a $100,000 Jumbo CDYou might be surprised at how fast a jumbo CD helps you reach your goals.
-
A Financial Planner Takes a Deep Dive Into How Charitable Trusts Benefit You and Your Favorite CharitiesThese dual-purpose tools let affluent families combine philanthropic goals with advanced tax planning to generate income, reduce estate taxes and preserve wealth.
-
How Financial Advisers Can Best Help Widowed and Divorced WomenApproaching conversations with empathy and compassion is key to helping them find clarity and confidence and take control of their financial futures.
-
Your Guide to Buying Art OnlineFrom virtual galleries to social media platforms, the internet offers plenty of places to shop for paintings, sculptures and other artwork without breaking the bank.
-
I'm 59 With $1.7 Million Saved and Just Lost My Job. Should I Retire at 59½, or Find New Work?We asked professional wealth planners for advice.
-
Metro by T-Mobile Is Giving Away This Samsung Galaxy A16: Which Plans Are Eligible?Metro by T-Mobile is offering free Samsung Galaxy A16 phones on eligible plans right now. Here’s how the deal works.
-
I Drive and Collect Classic Cars: Here’s How I Got in the Game Without Spending a FortuneAre classic cars a hobby or an investment strategy — or both? Either way, the vintage car scene is much cooler and more affordable than you think.
