Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona advises vacation-bound consumers to ask questions about extra fees that could turn a bargain trip into a budget buster.

“Airlines have been adding fees for everything from luggage to early boarding for several years,” said Kim States, BBB President. “But you may not know about ‘resort fees’ for hotel services ranging from Internet access, use of gym facilities, newspapers to a safe in your room. The fees may be charged whether you use the services or not.”

Extra fees ranging from $10 to $30 a day are seldom disclosed and often aren’t included in the checkout price on online travel booking sites. In many cases, consumers don’t learn about the fees until they check into or out of a resort.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says resort fees are part of a business model known as “drip pricing,” in which firms advertise only part of a product’s price and reveal other charges later as the customer goes through the buying process.  The fees can be mandatory charges, such as hotel resort fees, or fees for optional upgrades and add-ons. Drip pricing is used by many types of firms, including Internet sellers, automobile dealers, financial institutions, and rental car companies.

Consumers have said that extra fees were never mentioned at all or appeared separate from the quoted reservation price on an online booking site. The FTC says other consumers “complained they did not know that they would be required to pay resort fees in addition to the quoted hotel room rate,” and only found out when they checked out of the hotel.

The FTC has sent a warning letter to 22 hotel operators, warning them that they may be engaging in deceptive advertising by not including mandatory resort fees when they quote a price. However, the federal agency has no authority to regulate hotels outside the United States.

BBB offers the following advice to avoid undisclosed hotel resort fees:

• Carefully read terms and conditions – When booking online, look for fine print which may disclose whether additional fees may be added to the nightly cost of a room.
• Contact the hotel in advance – After you have done your comparison shopping online, call the hotel or resort directly to find out what additional fees may apply and whether they can be waived if the amenities are not used.
• Reconfirm upon check-in – Bring a copy of your booking receipt when you check in,  and verify the total cost of your booking.  It is much easier to negotiate in advance rather than at checkout, when you may be in a rush to get to the airport. If you are told that additional charges may be placed on your credit card for resort fees, make sure the hotel customer service representative or manager understands your concerns and makes a note in your file if you wish to opt out.
• File a complaint – If you feel that the hotel or other provider failed to disclose mandatory fees, you may file a complaint at www.bbb.org.

Summer is just around the corner and now is the time to start planning your summertime activities. According to the American Camp Association, there are more than 12,000 day and resident camps nationwide. When looking for the appropriate one for your child, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona recommends parents do their research to ensure they find a camp that is both financially fit for their pocketbook and fundamentally right for their child.

BBB received more than 100 complaints against various camps nationwide in 2012. Most complaints alleged refund issues, including camps’ failures to respond to notices of cancellation. This resulted in unauthorized credit card charges. Other complaints alleged cancellation of camp programs due to low registration.

Parents have a variety of choices dependent on their child’s age and interests. In addition to checking with bbb.org to see a camp’s BBB Business Review or to find a BBB Accredited camp, BBB offers the following tips for parents searching for the right camp:

• Get references. Ask parents of other campers about their child’s experience and why they recommend one camp over another. According to the American Camp Association, there is no government oversight of camps, so it’s especially important to look for facilities that are certified by the ACA. The organization requires camps to meet up to 300 nationally recognized standards.
• Visit the camp in person. Check all living, eating and recreational facilities. Be sure to ask about safety procedures and how rules are enforced.
• Assess the quality and commitment of the staff. Find out the camp director’s background, the criteria used for hiring staff and whether certification in CPR and First Aid is required. It is also important to know the ratio of staff to campers. Parents sending children to specialty camps should inquire about the staff’s level of expertise in the specialized area.
• Know the fees and payment policies. What is the total cost of tuition? Is your money refundable should the camp be canceled? Are there extra charges for any activities? Are meals and transportation included? Make sure all these details are included in your contract.
• Ask about medical care. Check out the medical facilities to be sure they are adequate. Find out if a nurse or doctor is on-site. Inquire about the procedures for transporting injured or sick children to nearby medical facilities and under what circumstances you will be notified of any problems.
• Consider a backup plan.  In case the camp you choose gets canceled for unexpected reasons, be sure to have another camp or two in mind.It is ideal to also visit and research those backup camps in advance so that you can be well-informed in the event of a last-minute decision.

Many consumers own both credit and debit cards, but may not know when to use one or the other. Because there are differences in how debit and credit cards are processed, here are 4 scenarios for when to use a credit card over a debit card.

1. Shopping Online:

BBB receives thousands of complaints every year from consumers who purchase items online and never receive them. Federal regulation generally requires an item to be delivered within 30 days, but using a debit card will make a refund more difficult to get. A credit card will allow you to dispute the charge, if it is more than $50, up to 60 days from the purchase date and give you a better chance of getting your money back.

2. Paying Deposits Upfront:

Many contracts for home improvement projects or subscription services require down payments followed by regularly scheduled payments. Many times scammers try to take these deposits and disappear so using a credit card will allow you to recoup those lost funds.

3. Setting Up Automatic Payments:

Service providers such as gyms, cell phone companies, cable providers and utility services offer consumers the option of setting up automatic deductions on their account. The goal is for you to never forget to make a payment, but billing mistakes can be made by a company’s computer system causing you to pay more. Instead of money coming directly from your bank account with a debit card, you can catch the mistake on your credit card bill and without money ever leaving your account.

4. Planning Travel Arrangements:

Most consumers book hotels and/or rental cars well in advance, but they can place holds or deposits on your account for hundreds of dollars as a security deposit. If you use a debit card, this money will be taken out of your account immediately and you run the risk of over drafting if you are not careful. Using a credit card however can make this additional charge unnoticeable for at least 30 days and give you time to cancel should your travel plans change.