10 common travel scams and how to avoid them

Note: Physical scams like the “shell game,” spilled drinks, taxi overcharges, or “free” bracelets are also common. However, these usually involve distraction or direct cash theft. You should check local guidebooks for advice on those street-level tricks. This guide prioritizes your online security and data privacy while you travel.

1. Travel agency scams

Fraudsters behind travel agency scams often impersonate legitimate travel agencies to steal your data. They send convincing phishing emails or post lookalike advertisements on social media. These ads direct you to fake websites that mimic real booking platforms.

If you enter your credit card details or upload sensitive documents to those sites, criminals can steal them. This stolen information feeds a large black market. Research on stolen travel documents by NordVPN and Saily reveals that scanned passport images sell for $10 to $200 on the dark web. ID scans often go for as little as $15.

These travel agent scams may cost you more than just money for a trip that doesn’t exist. Since the fraudsters possess your passport details and full name, they can commit identity theft. They may use your identity to open bank accounts, take out loans, or commit crimes in your name.

2. Black Friday travel scams

Offers that seem too good to be true often signal the start of a trap. Cybercriminals take advantage of the shopping frenzy during events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Travel Tuesday. While Black Friday scams peak in November, fake travel deals circulate year-round.

Scammers use fake countdown timers and "flash sale" banners to create a false sense of urgency. This pressure tricks you into booking a trip immediately without verifying the company. You might pay for a luxury vacation package, but once the transaction clears, the agency disappears with your money and offers no bookings in return.

3. Fake vacation rentals

Cybercriminals create listings for properties that aren't real. They often conduct Airbnb scams by stealing photos and descriptions from real estate websites to make their ads look convincing. This pattern of deception also appears in Booksi scams.

To secure the deal, scammers might ask you to pay via wire transfer or communicate outside the official platform. This tactic removes the protections that booking sites usually offer. You typically discover the truth only when you arrive at your destination. You might find a fake address or a confused homeowner who has no record of your booking.

4. Timeshare scams

A timeshare is a type of vacation property ownership where multiple people share the cost of a resort unit or apartment, each getting access for a specific period each year — usually a week or two.

In a timeshare scam, fraudsters often target travelers at resorts or popular tourist spots. They may lure you into a presentation by promising free tours, meals, or discounted stays, only to pressure you into buying a share of a property that either doesn't exist or has hidden costs that make it worthless. Other timeshare scams target existing owners by promising to sell their timeshare or cancel their contract for an upfront fee but then disappear with the money.

While legitimate timeshares exist, the industry’s complexity and rapid growth make it a magnet for fraud. With experts predicting the market will reach nearly $23.8 billion by 2034, scammers are increasingly drawn to the potential profits.¹

5. ATM skimmers

Criminals often target ATMs in busy tourist areas, where travelers are less likely to notice tampering. They install credit card skimmers — devices placed over the card slot that look nearly identical to the original reader. When you insert your card, the skimmer captures the information from the magnetic stripe.

To steal your PIN, scammers may also hide a tiny camera nearby or install a fake keypad overlay that records your keystrokes. Once they have both your card data and PIN, they can clone your card and use it to withdraw cash or make purchases, potentially draining your bank account before you even realize the theft has occurred.

6. Flight ticket scams

Fraudsters prey on travelers looking for deals by selling counterfeit airline tickets. In some cases, they use stolen credit cards to purchase legitimate tickets, which they then resell to you at a steep discount.

However, once the real cardholder reports the fraud, the airline cancels the booking. The cancellation often happens right before your trip, which leaves you stranded at the airport with an invalid reservation and no way to get your money back.

Alternatively, scammers create fake confirmation emails that look authentic but reference a booking that never existed. These scams often appear on social media or shady third-party websites offering too-good-to-be-true prices to lure unsuspecting travelers into paying for flights that aren’t real.

If you’re looking to save money safely, learning how to use a VPN for cheaper flights is a much better alternative than risking falling for a scam.

7. Visa scams

Visa scams become more sophisticated every year, which poses a serious risk to international travelers. Scammers often build copycat websites that mimic official government immigration portals for countries like the UK, the US, or Australia. To appear legitimate, they replicate official logos, color schemes, and even specific URL structures. 

Scammers also often buy search engine ads so their fake shopping websites appear at the top of the results when you search for "visa application."

8. Fake petition scams

You may often encounter fake petition scams near popular tourist destinations. How the scam goes: An innocent-looking person approaches you with a clipboard and asks you to sign a petition for a charitable cause. The form often requests more than just a signature, but also your email, phone number, and home address.

Providing your personal information on these forms creates cybersecurity risks. These crooks can use your information to build targeted phishing lists or sell your details to other scammers.

Additionally, the interaction itself serves as a distraction. While you focus on the clipboard, an accomplice may pick your pocket. Once you sign, the person typically aggressively demands a cash donation and refuses to let you leave until you pay.

9. Fake Wi-Fi hub scams

Cybercriminals know that tourists regularly search for internet access. To exploit this demand for free internet, they set up fake hotspots in busy areas like airports, train stations, and coffee shops. They give these fake Wi-Fi hubs legitimate-sounding names, such as "Free_Airport_WiFi" or "Cafe_Guest," to trick you into connecting. 

Once you join the network, the hacker can monitor your internet traffic. They can intercept sensitive data like emails, passwords, and credit card numbers if the connection is not secure.

You should generally avoid checking sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi networks. However, if you need to access your finances and you don’t have mobile data, always use a VPN for online banking to encrypt your connection.

10. International driving permit scams

Fraudsters prey on tourists who need an international driving permit (IDP) to rent cars abroad. These criminals create professional-looking websites that sell fake IDPs.

While an IDP is a valid legal document, these scammers sell worthless plastic cards or digital certificates that hold no legal authority. Legitimate IDPs are usually simple paper booklets issued by authorized associations (like AAA in the US).

These sites often charge expensive fees for a document that reputable companies issue for a small standard cost. If you present these fake documents to foreign police or rental agencies, the consequences can be severe. Authorities may treat you as an unlicensed driver, which can lead to fines, vehicle impoundment, and the voiding of your insurance coverage.

Beyond the legal risks, these scams present a major cybersecurity threat. To apply for the fake document, the website requires you to upload highly sensitive data, including a scan of your real driver's license, a passport photo, and your full home address.

The growing threat of travel scams

Travel fraud has surged in recent years due to advanced technology. Booking.com reports that travel scams increased by up to 900% over an 18-month period.² Executives at the company point to artificial intelligence as the main driver.

In fact, NordVPN’s cybersecurity experts identify the malicious use of AI tools as one of the key cybersecurity risks for 2026. Scammers use AI tools to generate photorealistic images of fake hotels that look like luxury resorts. They also use AI to write grammatically correct phishing emails, which makes them much harder to spot than earlier scams.

TripAdvisor also fights a massive volume of fraudulent content. In its transparency report, the platform revealed it identified and removed over 2.7 million fake reviews in 2024.³ Fraudsters post these glowing 5-star reviews to boost the ratings of scam listings. This deception manipulates travelers into booking substandard or nonexistent accommodations because they trust the social proof.

The problem is widespread across North America. The Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker recorded 9,403 travel, vacation, and timeshare scams in 2025 alone.⁴ These reports highlight a sharp rise in fraudulent booking listings and dedicated websites.

How to avoid travel scams

You cannot predict every move a scammer makes, but you can build a strong defense system. Protection starts long before you pack your bags and continues until you return home. By adopting a few proactive digital habits, you can significantly reduce the risk of fraud.

How to avoid travel scams before the trip

Take these precautions to protect your money and identity before your trip begins:

• Research your destination. Look for common tourist scams specific to the city or country you plan to visit. Forums and government travel advisories often list current threats in tourist sites, such as specific petition scams or areas prone to pickpocketing.
• Verify websites. Scammers make subtle changes to URLs to mimic major booking platforms. Learn how to tell if a website is fake before you book. For visa applications, ensure the URL ends in “.gov” or the official country code, rather than “.com” or “.org.”
• Spot fake emails. Be skeptical of unsolicited confirmations or urgent demands to send money. Check phishing email examples to recognize red flags. If an airline emails you about a cancellation, log in to the official carrier website directly to confirm the status of the flight.
• Secure your accounts. Use unique passwords for your travel apps, banking, and email accounts. Educate yourself on what is considered a strong password to create credentials that hackers cannot easily guess. (Hint: Make it at least 12 characters long and use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.)
• Enable 2FA. Turn on two-factor authentication wherever possible to ensure your critical accounts require a second form of verification, such as a code sent to your phone, to stop unauthorized access.
• Pay safely. Credit cards offer better fraud protection than debit cards. Disputing a charge for a fake listing is easier with a credit card. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency payments for vacation rentals because these are the preferred tools of scammers. Stick to safe online payment methods.
• Cross-reference prices. If a Black Friday deal offers a price far lower than competitors, investigate further. Compare the price against the airline’s official site. Extremely low prices often indicate a nonexistent ticket or a bait and switch scheme.

How to avoid travel scams during the trip

When you travel, your routine changes, which can make you vulnerable to distraction and opportunistic theft. Use these strategies to stay safe from the moment you arrive in a foreign country:

• Encrypt your connection. The best VPN protects your data even on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks at airports or cafes.
• Check payment codes. Scammers stick fake QR codes on parking meters and menus to redirect payments to their accounts. Check for stickers pasted over the original code before you scan. According to NordVPN expert Gerald Kasulis, 73% of Americans scan QR codes without verification, and more than 26 million have already been directed to malicious sites.⁵
• Inspect ATMs. Before you insert your card, check the card reader for bulkiness or loose parts. Wiggle the slot to see if any of the parts move. If the machine looks tampered with, find a different bank terminal.
• Ignore unsolicited offers. Be firm with strangers who approach you on the street. Whether they offer a petition to sign or a timeshare scratch card, the safest action is to keep walking. Stopping to listen and paying attention usually leads to aggressive demands for money.
• Watch your valuables. Keep your passport and devices secure to prevent physical theft. Use a money belt or a hotel safe for essential documents. If you lose your device, scammers can access the data stored on it to commit identity theft.

What to do if you have fallen for a travel scam

First, don’t panic. Scams affect even experienced travelers, but time is critical. Act immediately to limit the damage and secure your identity:

• Call your bank. If you suspect an ATM skimmer or unauthorized charge, call your bank using the international number on the back of your card. Ask it to lock your funds and reverse any unauthorized charges.
• Freeze your credit. If you have shared your passport details, you face a high risk of identity theft. Contact each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — separately to freeze your credit, which prevents criminals from opening new loans in your name.
• Update compromised passwords. If you connected to a fake Wi-Fi hub or entered data on a phishing site, criminals might have stolen your credentials. Change the passwords for your email and banking accounts to lock scammers out.
• Enable 2FA. If you didn’t secure all your important accounts before the trip, do so now.
• Contact the platform. If you have booked a fake listing on a legitimate site (like Airbnb or Booking.com), notify that platform's customer support immediately. Since legitimate sites often hold your payment in escrow, they may be able to stop the transfer, issue a refund, or help you rebook.
• File an official report. Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or your local cybercrime authority. If the scam involved a fake visa site, contact the country's embassy to alert it of the imposter. You should also report phishing to your email provider to help block the scammer's domain.
• Scan your device. Cybercriminals can use unsecured networks to infect your phone or laptop with malware. Run a full antivirus scan to detect and remove any malware that might be stealing your data.
• Collect proof. Take screenshots of the fake website, emails, and receipts. This documentation helps your bank and insurance provider validate your claim.

References

¹ Zion Market Research (February 10, 2025). Vacation Ownership (Timeshare) Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth, Forecasts, 2034.

² Tom Gerken (June 20, 2024). Booking.com warns of up to 900% increase in travel scams. BBC.

³ Tripadvisor (March 18, 2025). Tripadvisor Transparency Report 2025.

⁴ EIN Presswire (July 10, 2025). Travel Scams in 2025: Key Insights for Vacationers and Timeshare Owners [Press release]. WJHL.

⁵ Kevin Williams (July 27, 2025). “Quishing” scams dupe millions of Americans as cybercriminals turn the QR code bad. CNBC.