Industry of the Month: Vacation Vouchers

Pensacola – As summer approaches, your Better Business Bureau turns its attention to vacation vouchers.

As an industry, vacation certificates and vouchers were ranked number two out of 1,700 industries in both inquiries and complaints to your Better Business Bureau Serving Northwest Florida in 2009.

Your BBB is focusing on the industries that had the most activity last year and plans to highlight one each month in 2010.

BBB hopes to proactively provide the information that consumers seek from BBB as the leader in advancing marketplace trust.

BBB urges consumers to take precaution as you begin booking travel packages:

First and foremost, check out all travel-related businesses with your BBB. Our database includes reports on more than 4 million businesses and charities in the U.S. and Canada.

You’ll also want to watch out for these red flags: 

Ø     You’re pressured to make a quick decision. If you have to decide immediately, walk away.

Ø     The vacation comes with a too-good-to-be-true price. Yes, you may be able to find great deals this spring and summer, but nobody’s going to give away trips.

Ø     They request that you wait at least 60 days before taking your trip. Why is this a red flag? Because scam artists know that you must dispute credit card charges within 60 days of the date you receive the bill, not the date of your travel.

Ø     You’re asked to send money by wire, messenger or overnight mail. Once you send the money, you have no recourse to get a refund if something goes wrong.

Ø     You must disclose your income, Social Security number, bank account number or other private information. You’re just asking to have your identity stolen.

Ø     The company offers great bargains, but refuses to put the details in writing unless you pay first. When it comes to contracts, your BBB can’t emphasize enough that you need to always get it in writing.

Ø     The salesperson makes vague references to “all major airlines” or “all major hotels” without saying which ones you will use.

Ø     A caller asks for your credit card number over the phone.

Ø     The deal cannot be booked through a travel agent.

Ø     You must call a 900 number. You will be charged to make this call — sometimes an astronomical amount.

Ø     The company cannot provide the names of references, or the references you call repeat nearly verbatim the claims of the travel provider.

For additional information and advice you can trust, start with bbb.org.