Dominion Group International: Spotting Scam Cruise Deal

If you received travel awards or won a free cruise, it seems like a great news. However, before you collect on your prize, better to check the legitimacy of the deal. In 2011, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) retrieved over 1,300 complaints regarding cruise line deals and free-cruise scams.

There were companies that engage in free-cruise schemes that require the customers to comply with extra charges and deposits. But what’s worse is the people who paid the fees did not receive the services promised.

Fraud offers

Not every cruise deal is a scam but you have to make sure that the prize is legitimate. A cruise serves as a means of transportation and a destination resort, as well. Don’t fall victim to certain cruise scams so you won’t suffer some of the problems. You can look for signs to determine whether the free cruise is the real deal or it’s a fraud offer.

Cybercriminals get their profit by targeting travellers and offering them a fraud travel offer. It can be enticing to some because who can resist free or discounted deals? However, instead of saving money, the fraudsters stole the money and never send out the promised deal.

‘Free cruise’ scam dominates the reports of fraudulent offers online. It is a potentially dangerous scam that can compromise the customer’s identity, as well as other personal details. The scam involves asking their targets to open a link and fill out the required information for the upcoming cruise. This can endanger the victims’ identity and the computer or mobile devices they’re using, especially if the e-mail or the link contains malware.

Avoiding scam

Winning a travel prize requires a lot of luck. Even though not all travel offers are considered a scam, it’s still important to be vigilant about the situation so you can avoid getting involved in any fraudulent travel offer.

Before you comply, you need to research the name of the travel agency that gives you the cruise deal. You also have to look for the name of the agent and other company titles listed on the cruise offer. Consult trust rating websites like BBB and check the consumer’s evaluation to see if the offer has received a bad review. Using these resources, you may also find some names on the offer which might be associated with a scam.

Study the details of the offer and check if there are accommodations and services included. Check the fees and charges too. There might be some demand specifics for you to redeem the prize. If it involves paying a suspicious amount, it’s probably a fraud offer.

Getting on a cruise can give a wonderful experience but a scam can morph the dream to disaster. The motive of cybercriminals behind this type of scam waste the people’s time and money.