Plan ahead to protect vacations from hassles

Whether you are going on a spring break trip or planning ahead for a summer getaway, it is important to prepare, to know what to do if issues occur.

The last thing anyone wants to deal with while on a vacation, is a business dispute, scam or identity theft, but understanding how to handle these situations can help keep cool, resolve the issue quickly and protect the rest of the travel plans.

By taking the following simple precautions, consumers protect themselves when traveling:

• Verify arrangements. Call businesses where there are reservations, before the trip begins, to confirm they are ready for the visit.

• Clean out wallets. Remove unnecessary cards and unneeded documents containing personal information; never travel with a Social Security card.

• Pay by credit card. By allowing the consumer to dispute charges, this payment method offers more protection than cash or checks.

• Ask about mandatory resort fees. Extra costs, often called “resort fees,” can add to the nightly cost of a stay. Be sure to understand the full cost of lodging.

• Be wary of public Wi-Fi networks. These may be fake networks, set up by criminals, who use it to access a device and track activity.

• Put details in writing. Document all details, such as confirmation numbers, booking times, addresses, costs, and cancelation and refund policies.

In recent years, industries like lodging, airlines and car rentals, have faced difficulties that may still affect service. Consumer complaints are often the result of lack of disclosure or miscommunication, between the business and the consumer.

However, consumers could encounter non-refundable deposits, minimum time requirements, advertised amenities being unavailable or overbilling. Policies vary, so ask questions when reserving a room, booking a flight, or purchasing tickets to events and attractions. Request reservation information in writing.

If reserving lodging through an online marketplace or other rental unit service, like Airbnb or Vrbo, be wary of scammers, who post fake listings to entice vacationers. Although these fake listings are prohibited by the company’s terms of service, it can be difficult to identify and remove them, before a consumer falls victim to the fraud.

Always book through a legitimate company that can issue refunds, if anything goes wrong and look for properties with free cancelation policies. If possible, check the property’s website and listings on other platforms, to identify differences that could indicate a scam.

For more information and consumer protection resources, or to file a complaint, visit ConsumerProtection. wi.gov.