Flight discounts
A travel "broker" promises to book the student's international flights for low costs. The broker requires the student to pay up front in order to secure the tickets. The student gives the broker the money but the broker never provides the promised tickets.
To avoid this scam:
- Do your research. Search the internet to see if a great deal you find might be a scam.
- Talk to an attorney at Student Legal Services (SLS) if you suspect a scam.
- Do not feel pressured to pay. Do not conduct business with a company or person that hurries you to make a payment.
- Know that if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Vacation rental cons
Scammers use fake rental listings through Airbnb and VRBO. The scammer pretending to be the owner will contact you outside of the app, offering you a discount if you wire the payment directly to them instead of booking online. Once you send the money, the owner and the listing disappear and there’s no way to get your money back.
To avoid this scam:
- Try copying and pasting the property description into a search engine to see if it appears anywhere else.
- Only communicate through reputable online booking tools.
- Check for ratings and other travelers' experiences.
- Pay any deposits or other upfront payments with a credit card through their booking website. If the charges are fraudulent you can always reach out to your credit card company.
