As families, students and friends gear up for their summer travel plans, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns of the following scams and travel headaches that could potentially plague consumers this summer:

1. Fraudsters hacking internet connections in hotels. The FBI recently issued a warning to consumers about scam artists using internet connections in hotels to gain access to consumer’s personal information using pop-up windows that appear as “software updates.”

BBB Tip: Avoid clicking on pop-up windows and suspicious advertisements. Perform software updates on laptops immediately before traveling, and download any computer updates directly from the software vendor’s website.

2. Scam artists posing as a distressed family member or friend. Fraudsters pose as vacationing friends or family members asking for money to be wired to help them get out of a messy situation. This scam can come as an email or as a phone call.

BBB Tip: Avoid wiring money. Attempt to first contact the said friend or family member directly. If needed, call other family members or friends to verify the story.

3. High-pressured travel club and sales pitches. Complaints to BBB show that many travel clubs promise huge discounts on hotels, airfare and cruises but fail to fully deliver despite the high cost of joining. In addition, complaints allege consumers felt misled and pressured into making an on-the-spot decision.

BBB Tip: Before signing up with a travel club, vacationers should do their research and check the company’s BBB Business Review at www.tucson.bbb.org.  

4. Sneaky cell phone data charges. When traveling abroad, some consumers do not realize their cell phone data plan doesn’t cover the area they’re traveling in. Even though those travelers may not be using their phone, roaming charges may still apply. Some complaints to BBB allege consumers were unaware that their cell data service was still operating while they traveled outside of their coverage area.

BBB Tip: Before traveling abroad or out of your coverage area, contact your service provider for specific details regarding your individual data and roaming plan and make appropriate changes prior to your departure.

5. The dark side of social media updates. One of the biggest mistakes travelers can make is to alert the world to the fact they are not in town by updating or posting on social media sites. Updates and tagged posts on sites like Facebook and Four Square can alert criminals to your exact location, leaving your home and personal belongings vulnerable.

BBB Tip: It’s best to keep your travel plans offline until you return from your vacation. If you must update, review your privacy settings before you leave. Change settings so that posts don’t identify where you are. And don’t be too specific with your updates.

To check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit bbb.org.

Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona is alerting to consumers to World Class Travel, a Tucson-based company that is mailing solicitations to consumers, claiming they can receive new laptop computer if they attend a sales seminar.

The mailings are very similar to a series of solicitations that were sent to Southern Arizona residents by a company called Southwest Travel earlier this year. Those mailings promised consumers many incentives, including a $300 Wal-Mart gift certificate, free airline tickets, and discounts at various restaurant chains if they attended a 90-minute sales seminar at the company’s office.

In the complaints against Southwest Travel, consumers said they either never received the “gift” they were promised, or there were hidden fees attached to the offers.

Consumers who purchased a membership with Southwest Travel, for $4,000-$8,000, complained to BBB that they didn’t receive the deals and discounts that were promised to them in the sales presentation, and they found the travel club to be unresponsive or unhelpful when they called to complain.

Although Southwest Travel closed “for the season” in July, BBB has received 17 complaints against the company this year, giving it an ‘F’ rating.

BBB warns that offers of prizes from travel clubs are usually tied to a requirement to attend a presentation of some kind. In fact the mailer from World Class Travel includes a disclaimer that states “Attendance at a ninety-minute presentation for travel is required.”  Consumers who have attended similar presentations tell BBB they conclude with attempts to enroll attendees in (more…)

*See bottom paragraph for the latest update regarding this company

Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona is alerting consumers to Patterson Bell, Harris Fields, Lexington Duke, Henderson Gill, Robinson Rhodes, Madden Hall, Nicholson Barnes, Jefferson & Greer, Welsch McCormick, Shelton White, Zimmerman Cain, Davidson Powell, Morrison Banks, Sutton Perry, Gilbert Turner, Sullivan Lang, Stanton Carney, Emerson Ross, Swanson Carr, Thompson Fuller, Richardson Blake,  and Hoffman Sims,  self proclaimed “Awards Redemption” agencies  mailing letters to local consumers that state the recipient has qualified for airline tickets.

Since Dec. 10, BBB has received over 30 inquiries about Patterson Bell from consumers seeking to determine if the offer is legitimate. Consumers who spoke to BBB said they had no recollection of ever entering a sweepstakes or contest for the airline tickets.

Consumers say the letter states that they have qualified for an “award” of two airline tickets that have a retail value of $1,400. The letter claims that Patterson Bell has attempted to contact the consumer multiple times and if the consumer does not contact them by a specific date the airline tickets will be given to an alternate recipient.

According to consumers, Patterson Bell’s address in Tucson is 4811 E Grant Rd, STE 261 85712, and its Web site, www.pattersonbell.com, says the company has additional locations in New York, Florida, Utah, New Jersey, Texas, California, and Oregon.

BBB has also received a number of inquiries about Hoffman Sims, another “Awards Redemption Agency” in Tucson whose Web site, www.hoffmansims.com, is similar to Patterson Bell’s, and claims to operate in the same cities.

Consumers who called BBB concerning Hoffman Sims say they too received a letter indicating they had won free airline tickets. A Hoffman Sims representative told BBB over the phone that they the mailings were sent on behalf of Southwest Travel Inc., a Tucson-based travel club. BBB has not been able to (more…)