Hotel Booking Scams Start With Lookalike Websites

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers preparing for summer travel of hotel booking scams. The scam tricks consumers by having a lookalike website. For example, a consumer may find a hotel or travel agency website that looks legitimate and has reasonable prices and professional-looking photos. The consumer then decides to book a room, enters their credit card information and goes to check out. Without knowing, the consumer is taken to a third-party site with no affiliation to the agency and is charged a higher rate than advertised. According to the BBB, one consumer was charged almost $1,000 for a two-night stay. When they called the actual hotel, they learned no reservation was made under their name.