Son of a beach

Adina Diamond
Daily Trojan

LOS ANGELES (U-WIRE) - Spring break is traditionally a sun-filled relaxing time, but students are increasingly suffering headaches instead of sunburns due to travel and vacation scams.

College students' quests for the least expensive travel options can leave them vulnerable to fraud, said Alexis Rochefort, a public relations specialist with the Institute of Certified Travel Agents.

"(Students) are looking for the cheapest way, so they overlook things," Rochefort said. "The consciousness and consumer awareness has not been raised with students."

Rochefort said that there are two very common types of scams. The first is the misrepresentation of products and services. Often, the conditions and amenities of lodging are exaggerated.

"The hotel is sold as a beautiful piece of property, but it has cockroaches," Rochefort said. "(Or students) will purchase a suite with an ocean view and there is no suite with an ocean view."

The second most prevalent type of fraud is the overbooking of airline and lodging, Rochefort said. Students are often stranded at airports or their destination because of a lack of seats or rooms.

Although numerous scams exist, a student's first line of defense is understanding basic travel truths, said April Chappell, a travel adviser with STA Travel.

Chappell said students often assume the initial price quoted for a flight is the price they will be charged if they call back later.

"A reservation does not hold the price and seat," she said. "No airline price is guaranteed until ticketed."

Additionally, students need to understand the special guidelines governing charter flights, which are especially popular during the spring break season.

According to the ICTA, charters are legally allowed to cancel flights up to 10 days before departure. In addition, they may change schedules at any point and delay flight departure times for up to 48 hours without compensating travelers or providing them with substitute transportation. Charter companies' policies may put students at a higher risk of a scam, but they do have rights in response.

Travelers may elect to cancel a charter flight without consequences if the company alters the itinerary and the traveler is unhappy with the change, according to the ICTA. An 11th-hour price increase also allows travelers to cancel their flights without repercussions.

There are numerous other tips that can help students avoid becoming scam victims, Rochefort said. The most important one is to find a certified travel counselor or certified travel associate.

Rochefort said students in particular often assume that using certified professionals will be more expensive, but often they can provide students with cheaper travel packages. Rochefort also said that CTCs or CTAs cater to their clients' interests to create the best vacations possible.

"They provide you with personal service," she said. "They are going to ask you questions. They are going to evaluate you and what you want."

Another trap students fall into is planning their vacations on the Internet, which Rochefort said is risky because of the lack of information available and the ease with which vendors can deceive customers.

"You have no idea what's behind an Internet site," she said. "You are not dealing with a person."

Once students have decided upon a reputable company or vendor, they should be careful when choosing which payment method to use, Rochefort said.

"If you pay with cash, you will never see it again," she said. "I would not use a money order (either)."

Both methods almost guarantee students will not receive refunds if they are scammed because the money cannot be traced and used as proof of purchase and payment, Rochefort said. The best method of payment is a credit card because "it is a more trackable receipt and contract," Rochefort said.

Although it may seem as if they are risky to use, credit cards are also the best option because powerful companies are at customers' disposal if they are scammed.

Once students have made the effort to plan their vacations through honest professionals and have paid securely, Rochefort recommends further protection for their investments by purchasing travel insurance. It costs about $50 extra, but she said without it "you do not have much recourse." The insurance covers travelers in case they need medical attention during their trip.

Rochefort said insurance is an especially good idea for trips abroad because many health insurance companies do not cover such expenses outside the United States. Travel insurance protects travelers in case of problems with travel or accommodations, in addition to cancellations. Although trips abroad to locations such as Mexico sound exotic, Rochefort warned that students need to be aware that foreign accommodations are not subject to the same regulations as those inside the United States.

"It's easier to be scammed outside of the U.S.," she said. "The properties don't have to be up to the same standards. What are the standards? It can be scary."

Even though Rochefort said illegitimate travel vendors "assume students will not be super vigilant consumers," students have the upper hand and should find out as much as possible about the individual or company they are working with, including asking for names of satisfied clients.

"Research all you want," she said. "Don't book anything unless it is through someone who is certified."

For a listing of CTCs and CTAs in your area or to determine if someone you are considering using is certified, log onto www.icta.com. The Better Business Bureau's Web site, www.bbb.org, contains information about companies that have had complaints filed against them.