Now that summer has begun, summer travel scams may be on the rise. Your BBB Serving Denver /Boulder would like to advise consumers how to spot and avoid vacation-related fraud.
 

Vacation scams cost consumers over $10 billion each year. Out of the 3,900 industries your BBB monitors, the travel industry consistently ranks near or in the top 25 for number of complaints. 
 

“The BBB System continues to see vacation and travel-related fraud cases in every one of our 128 BBBs across the United States and Canada,” said Steve Cole, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. “Before booking travel plans, consumers need to do their research and check with the BBB for trustworthy advice on dependable businesses to keep from getting burned this summer.”
 

Here are some other tips to ensure your summer travel plans remain hassle-free:
 

Gather Information. Don’t be fooled by professional looking Web sites or e-mails. Few legitimate businesses can afford to give away products and services of real value or substantially undercut other companies’ prices. Visit the BBB Web site, www.denver.bbb.org, or call your BBB for a free Reliability Report on the travel company making the offer. 
 

Ask detailed questions and get it in writing. Get names of airlines, hotels, car rental companies and travel providers. Consider contacting these businesses directly to verify arrangements. Always ask for confirmation of your travel arrangements in writing and ensure you receive copies of cancellation and refund policies. 
 

Pay with a credit card and avoid deals that require you to book 60 days in advance. Credit card companies may allow consumers to dispute a charge within 60 days of purchase. Representatives from eBay also caution consumers against paying with personal checks and strongly recommend paying with a method such as PayPal that has built-in protection measures. 
 

Contact your BBB if you are a victim of fraud. Your BBB helps consumers and businesses through complaint and dispute resolution services. Victims of travel-related scams can visit www.denver.bbb.org or call us at 303-758-2100 to begin the complaint process. Ultimately, consumer complaints expose bad businesses and help other consumers avoid becoming victims of vacation and travel-related fraud.