Travelers warned of online hotel booking scams

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Scammers are sneaky and smart and seem to have no problem ruining people’s vacation plans.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning that public scammers are now creating misleading hotel websites to steal people’s money.

Whenever travelers are searching hotels in the city they plan to visit, people are coming across websites that looks like an official hotel website or real travel agency.

People may see professional photos and great deals, but after entering their credit card number to book, their credit card statement is showing much higher rates.

The BBB said this is because people are on a third-party site.

Here are some recommendations for travelers:

• Only book hotels through official websites – They say to double check the URL to verify you are on the real website.
• Use secure reservation websites – Make sure the website you are using is secure by ensuring the URL starts with https:// and has a padlock symbol.
• Contact the hotel directly – If you just can’t tell if the website is real, give the hotel a call.

Carl Bates with the BBB said they get calls from scam victims daily and people should never let their guard down.

“Urgency is part of it,” said Bates. “It’s such a good deal you can’t refuse to try it. It just sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That’s what we always tell people. You know, take your time, check it out, call, confirm, don’t make a quick decision. You’re going to be in real trouble.”

The BBB also said it is always best to also check the hotel’s reviews before booking. More advice regarding hotel scams can be found here.

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