Consumers should beware of travel scams, warns the owner of a local travel agency.
"Travel fraud is a $12 billion-a-year industry dedicated to separating consumers from their hard-earned cash," said Edyth Pehrson, owner of Uniglobe Concord Travel Inc. "And with a suspected 500 companies pitching sophisticated vacation schemes, no one is safe from this type of crime."She said the easiest way to avoid being ripped off is to deal with a legitimate travel agent. If you are offered a vacation as a prize, ask for written material that sets out costs, including deposits, fees and port taxes.
Pherson said scammers have only one goal - to get as much of your money as they can before they disappear and set up shop again.