One of the worst travelers nightmares is to arrive at a hotel only to discover you don’t have a reservation.
I’m not talking about a computer glitch or a mistake, I’m talking about a fake reservation from a phony site.
These sites are displayed in search engines as advertisements, sometimes appear to be the hotel or related to the hotel. These are rogue sites with the intent to steal travelers’ money. These sites will often appear as the hotel name or a similar variation.
It’s estimated that 2.5 million false bookings occur each year costing the hotel industry and the consumer millions of dollars. The hotel industry works hard to shut them down only to have them resurface under a new name.
To avoid getting caught with a fake booking:
- Book directly with the hotel and make sure it says “official site”
- Use an airline or familiar OTA (Online Travel Agency) site.
- Call the hotel in advance to verify your reservation.
- Only pay with a credit card that will protect your purchases
Ja’Vonne