Too Many People Fall Victim to These SCAMS When Booking Flights

Planning a trip to Disney World can be a lot. Not only do you have to figure out things like budget, where to stay, how long to stay, and where to eat, you also have to figure out how to get to Disney World.

Like most of us, it’s likely that you’ll be booking a flight to Orlando. However, we wanted to warn you about some scams to look out for before you actually book that flight.

The Extras

Budget airlines can sometimes offer some AMAZING flight deals that are almost too good to be true. Those deals are usually legit, but those airlines also tend to charge extra fees for just about everything: including carry-on bags, checked bags, seat selection, and more.

Of course, it’s not just budget airlines that charge extra for those things. Even the larger airlines charge for checked bags and seat selection, even with their higher fares, so be sure to consider those costs before booking.

Cheaper isn’t always better

If you’re searching for flights and see a lower fare, you need to double-check how many stops that flight makes. In general, nonstop flights often cost more than those with layovers. Sometimes, you could even have two or three layovers on those flights that cost less.

It’s also smart to check the actual full travel time — you might find some of those lower fares will take a LOT longer to get you to Orlando. So cheaper isn’t always better.

Third-Party Websites

If you book airfare through a third-party website, like Hotwire or Expedia, you might not get the level of customer service you need if you have problems with your flights.

You might also find it difficult to cancel or change flights when using a third-party site. That’s why it’s generally better to book your flights directly with the airline.

Fake booking sites

Now we’re going to talk about some REAL scams. There are a lot of fake airfare booking sites offering deals on flights that are not easy to resist. If it’s not a site you’ve already heard of, used, or know someone that has used it, beware!

These sites will even pop up in Google searches from time to time, so if it even seems remotely sketchy, run away. As we previously mentioned, book those flights directly from the airlines (and make sure the site you’re using is the official site for that airline because some of those fake websites can look legitimate at first glance).

Airfare Booking Scams

There are some other scams you should be warned about, too. While searching for cheap flights online, you might see what looks like a great deal with a major airline. You go through the process of booking the flight through the website link provided or by calling a provided customer support number. But then right after you pay, you might receive a call or get an email about a sudden price increase or extra charge to finalize your booking.

This is something The Better Business Bureau is now warning people about. A legitimate airline would never do this. This is a scam company that is trying to get even more money from you.

Phishing Scams

If you get an email or message that your credit card was declined when trying to book a flight, look up the airline’s phone number on its official website and make sure the number you’ve been given in the email or message is the same.

This kind of scam also often targets folks on social media complaining about canceled flights. They’ll be sent a phone number from a fake social media account for an airline (or they might find a fake phone number via Google, according to NBC News) to call customer service to pay for another flight (that possibly doesn’t exist). Never call a phone number without double-checking the airline’s official website and making sure it’s legit.

So beware of these scams and make sure you’re only providing your credit card details to a legitimate airline or booking website. It only takes a few minutes to double-check these things and it could save you a lot of money, headaches, and hassles later on.