AG Labrador Issues Summer Travel Scam Warning to Idahoans

BOISE, ID - As Idahoans book flights and hotels for summer vacations, Attorney General Raúl Labrador is warning families to watch for travel scammers looking to steal their money before they ever leave home. Scammers often buy fake online ads that mimic well-known airlines and hotel chains, listing phony customer service numbers or linking to fraudulent booking websites designed to look legitimate. Before entering payment information or calling a number found online, Idahoans should verify they are on the business's official website and never trust a phone number or link found in an advertisement.

"Scammers count on vacation excitement to cloud your judgment, and they're getting more sophisticated every year," said Attorney General Labrador. "A fake ad, a phishing text, or a too-good-to-be-true deal can drain your account before your trip ever starts. My office pursues these fraudsters and works to shut them down, but the best protection is a skeptical consumer. If a price looks too good or a payment method feels wrong, trust that instinct."

Scammers have driving vacations covered, too, sending texts about fake unpaid tolls or traffic tickets and demanding immediate payment. Instead of reaching for your wallet, reach out to the agency directly using a phone number or website you know is right - not the info or link from the text. Idahoans are no strangers to those scams, and the Attorney General has issued scam alerts on those tactics as well.

Here are some other ways to avoid vacation scams:

• Get all the details before you commit. If the organizer can't or won't give you more specific details (other than saying "you'll stay at a 'five-star' resort"), walk away - quickly.
• Do your research. Look up the names of travel companies, hotels, rentals, and agents with the words "scam," "review," or "complaint." See what others say independently about them before you commit. Don't just rely on a website with beautiful pictures and promises of luxury.
• Be wary of payment methods. Vacation scammers regularly request payment by wire transfer, gift card, payment app, or through cryptocurrency ATMs. Scammers prefer these methods because it's nearly impossible to get your money back. Payment requested through these means are almost always red flags for fraud and scams.
• Always read the small print. The fine details often contain critical refund limitations, exclusion dates, disclaimers about actual pricing, availability, third party vendors, and other important facts that could easily ruin a vacation.

If you think you've been the victim of a vacation scam, visit ReportScamsIdaho.com for scam prevention resources or to file an investigative complaint with the Idaho Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.