April 11, 2025 • 42 mins
Whew, honey… travel scams are out here multiplying like bad airline snacks—with a jaw-dropping 900% spike in just the last year! 😱 Scammers are getting slicker, and their schemes? Way too convincing. From charming con artists to full-on digital deception, it’s getting harder to tell what’s legit and what’s just plain shady.
This week, your favorite Divas are calling out the trickiest travel scams in the game—from those oh-so-friendly bracelet peddlers who won’t take no for an answer to the “helpful” stranger offering to snap your vacation photo (and maybe run off with your phone 💨📱).
We’re dishing on:
- Sneaky taxi switcheroos 🚕
- Fake menus slid under your hotel door 🍕🚫
- Dreamy beachfront rentals that actually overlook a parking lot 🚫🏖️
- And the WiFi trap: how scammers use public networks to snatch your info faster than you can say “boarding pass.”
Plus, we break down skip lagging—is it a savvy savings hack or a risky ticket to travel trouble?
So, before you pack those bags, press play and get scam-savvy with us. And hey—if you’ve got your own scam story (or near-miss!), spill the tea and help your fellow globetrotters stay one step ahead. 🎒💻✈️
Golden Rule: If it sounds too good to be true… it probably comes with a fake booking confirmation and a side of regret. 😬
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
hey there.
So um happy thursday, is itthursday?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I think it is.
I think it is thursday.
We don't usually record onthursdays.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I think that's why I'm off this week we've been all
out of sorts this week and theallergies are still kicking our
ass, both of us.
So if we're snotty or snifflingor crying, just bear with us.
Um, so this week, uh, thisweek's episode is kind of it's
trending and relevant becausescams we're talking about scams,
(00:45):
travel scams specifically.
But I will say that, doing alittle bit of research in this,
travel scams have gone up 900%in the last year.
900%, that's a lot.
With the eye out there, it'sgetting trickier and trickier to
spot a scam and I think thatthe um, I think the telltale
(01:08):
sign and we always are such sonaive to this, but if it seems
too good to be true, it probablyis correct, yes, but we want it
to be true and we want to betrustworthy and be like well,
well, and some of these scamsare just so savvy I'm like man
that it took a lot of work justto come up with a scam.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So I don't know, I just I, I have you fallen for a
scam?
Oh yeah, what did you fall for?
Um, the Facebook.
I still have not received myFacebook ad or my Facebook
purchase from the bookshelf.
I spend probably a year and Istill haven't received that
bookshelf.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Oh my God, I was saying the same thing at the
same time.
Facebook I got, yeah, and thestupid thing was it wasn't even
anything for me.
It was like this it wasn't anLL Bean backpack, it was one of
like a trendy backpack andthey're like, oh, it's from you
know, and you can get it for $9,and it's normally a hundred
dollar backpack.
It was like a trendy backpackand they're like, oh, it's from
you know, and you can get it for$9, and it's normally a hundred
(02:07):
dollar backpack.
And I was like you know what?
I don't have a great backpack,but I can always gift this la la
la.
And I was like a backpack,denise, like so stupid I had to
get my credit, my car changedout and all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
So that's the key.
If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
That is the theme that we'regoing to carry through this
whole thing.
So, just kind of going oversome of this, let's start with
the small ones.
Yeah, the ones that you wouldtypically see just kind of out
and about.
We'll get into like the biggerones.
So what's one that you think ofwhen you're in a touristy spot?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
what's one that you think of when you're in a
touristy spot?
Well, so I've heard of thewhole.
I see I don't.
I've only been to Vegas once.
That whole three card moneywhere the cup, the shell trick
and stuff like that, where theywant you to, they essentially
want you to bet, they want youto try to figure out what when
it's under like that.
I would never do anything likethat with you.
I'm not a better.
You're a gambler, I'm not.
I am a gambler.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I mean because I love Vegas and I do gamble.
But would I do it on the street?
Probably not, not somethinglike that, because I know it's a
sleight of hand trick.
I mean it's like a magician'strick when it comes to that.
Now, if it a game of chance, Iwould probably be suckered into
one or two of those for a buckor two hero there, just for
(03:29):
shits and giggles kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
and I don't.
I'm too shy to do that.
I wouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I wouldn't want to be the center of attention,
getting like being the personthat's getting you know what I
mean, like I especially now witheverybody having a camera and
ending up on TikTok, because Idon't want to be that person and
be like where everybody'schatting.
Did you just see her getscammed?
How did she fall for that?
Like?
That's a bitch.
Exactly, that's what I don'twant.
(03:56):
Um, one of the things that I'veseen in and I can't remember if
it was I don't think I saw it inVegas, I think it's in New York
.
Um, it is, but especially over,like in Nassau, this is where I
saw it the most the braceletscam.
They do that.
They want to give you somethingand then the second they put it
(04:16):
on you.
You're there like um, you knownow wanting a donation or
wanting something because theymade it custom for you or
whatever, and I I don't.
I get suckered into those.
Although I don't pay, I makesure I give it back and it does
become, it does cause a scene,but I don't like that.
And the reason why I'm suckeredinto them is because I'm the
(04:39):
type when they do it to the kids.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
They give it to the kids is what happened to us in
San Juan.
They they tried to give a giftto the kids and then the kids
don't know to not take it or togive it back.
You know what I mean.
And then they want your, thenthey want you to give them money
.
So it's like, oh, that's notcool man.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, um, one of the others.
I was just trying to think ofwhat it was.
Uh, oh, the photos, takingphotos with people.
This is big in vegas and newyork city, new york with
characters like hello kitty orthe or even them.
Just dress vegas.
It was more of them beingdressed up, not necessarily
characters that you wouldrecognize, but character
(05:19):
whatever their costume.
Character is, um could be anextravagant.
I actually followed thisstripper um, I think she's
called her, it's on tiktok andshe's like old ass stripper or
something like that and she, herwhole.
It's a persona that she does andshe was never a stripper, but
she's an older lady with I thinkshe's freaking hilarious and
that's great um, she goes outthere and she, she will take
(05:41):
pictures, and but she wastalking about it and I you want
to take pictures with people.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Well, but there should be an understanding
whether there's money involvedor not.
You know what I mean.
Like it's kind of like a baitand switch at that point.
You know what I mean.
Like hey, come, get in thepicture.
But then you're like, oh,that's going to be $10.
Like that's not cool, I don'tknow.
Yeah, another thing I will say.
So the other thing you have tobe careful with now is when
(06:09):
you're in a hotel and thishappened to us last year like
when you're in a hotel, if theyever call you and want to read
it, if they're like oh, themachine, the front machines are
down.
We need to verify your creditcard number to bill your room.
Don't ever, ever, ever give anyinformation.
Just be like okay, I'll comehandle it at the front desk,
(06:32):
right, so?
And then the same thing, eventhough it wasn't giving my
actual credit card information,last year, when we grabbed a
couple of drinks and we hadalready checked in the hotel,
the lady is like what's yourroom number?
I'll just charge it to yourroom.
I fucking shouted out our roomnumber.
Yeah, I didn't even think aboutit.
So now I've told somebody myroom number and then they could
be like yeah, put it to room two11, Denise.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Not only could they charge it, but now they know
these two ladies are in a roomand what their room number is.
And I, yeah, I did.
I looked at you and I was likedid you just do that?
I?
Speaker 1 (07:04):
wasn't even thinking the other.
I'm so naive, I really am.
And then the other thing that Ididn't even know was a scam.
But apparently and even Disneyis putting out things in the
room you know how they slideshit under your door and
typically it could be like amenu for a restaurant people
order.
So there's been a lot of scamsin that.
(07:24):
It's a menu, it's not going toa restaurant and you're calling
in this order for, like pizza orwhatever, and you've been out
all day.
Remember how at our pod fest,we were just exhausted.
It was so easy to just orderroom service, right, you got to
be careful because you can'ttrust anybody anymore.
Go with your Uber Eats or yourDoorDash, because don't ever
(07:44):
just follow anything under aflyer that came under your door,
because it's not a realrestaurant.
You call in, you give yourorder, you give your credit card
number and you're never goingto get that pizza but they're
just going to take your money.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
When you told me that I didn't know this was a thing,
I hadn't heard about it, I waskind of shocked because I
remember, because we roadtripped a lot, especially
because we always lived awayfrom family, so we would,
wherever we were stationed, we'dvisit and tour, be a tourist in
that state.
And I remember that was one ofmy things is we would, when you
(08:20):
would check in sometime, eitherthat evening or the next day,
you'd have the local placesflyers under your door and we
would we want local stuff.
So back then we didn't haveDoorDash or anything like that
and we always referred to thoseflyers.
But also and I miss this, Istill look for it every hotel I
(08:41):
go to I miss the book that theyused to put, the little binder
they used to put in your hotelthat had the menus of the local
restaurant.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, the local restaurant, that were legit.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
And I still, to this day, look for that because I
appreciate the local I can call.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
And you can still get that.
You can still find that,sometimes Like we stayed in
Nashville oh God, it's been likefive years now.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
So maybe they don't do it anymore, cause the last
I'd say.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I mean, I think, the scammers have kind of ruined it
for people to be able to justcall in and think that they're
getting something now, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, I think maybe if hotels would go back to
putting that in the rooms of hey, these are the local mom and
pop places or our top whateverit was really like when you stay
out by the beach, like out inthe outer banks or something,
having that is, it was reallynice I.
I liked having that.
I liked having the umrecommendation from the locals
(09:37):
of where I should go.
So I would absolutely fallvictim to the scam under the
fire.
I would just try the localstuff.
Yeah, do your diligence now atthis point, because it is a
thing like and even under thedoor flyer, I want to try the
local stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, do your diligence now at this point,
because it is a thing like andeven the Disney flyer I saw this
on um, I guess on my feed theother day.
They were saying even Disney isputting things in the room
saying don't fall for any flyersthat come under your door,
because we've had so muchscamming going on Um, and so
people are just trying to makethemselves more aware.
(10:07):
Um.
The other thing and I I justdealt with this yesterday.
Uh, we rented an Airbnb forNapa and we just got an email
the other day saying um, doublecheck to make sure that you're
really booked at this Airbnb,because the owner has had some
fraudulent activity on theiraccount.
(10:27):
Make sure that if you alreadyhave paid, you paid to the right
person and you got aconfirmation.
I'm like it's really scary.
The other thing is you have tomake sure that you're looking
for reviews, because a lot ofAirbnbs or VRBOs, all of that
stuff they do like a bait andswitch where you they're showing
pictures of this one place.
Another thing is, if it seemsto the price is too good to be
(10:51):
true, it possibly is not.
You're not getting.
What you roll up in is not thepictures you saw online um, have
you ever had anything like thathappen to you with an airbnb?
Luckily, ours is still okay forNapa, but that is a.
That is definitely a concern isthe Airbnb scams.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Well, you know, I'd prefer hotel or resorts over
Airbnb and VRV.
That's not my jam I do.
It makes me nervous becausewhen I get clients that request
that first of all thoselocations don't pay commission,
so usually you'll have to gothrough.
A third party like Expedia willlet us book Airbnb and VRB.
(11:32):
I don't like using thirdparties like that, so they're a
little trickier to verify and todo.
You have to go a little bitfurther to be for yourself as
well as for our clients to makesure they are legit.
But I will say, when we werecreating this topic and I was
researching this episode, one ofthe things that came up that I
(11:53):
didn't know was a thing becausewe had started this conversation
all about, like AI travel andwe didn't know quite enough
about it.
So we started researching andit kind of led us down this
rabbit hole.
But during research I foundsomething about AI generated
fake reviews and then that ledto people that are hired to give
(12:17):
travel reviews.
I went down a complete rabbithole on this that this is a
remote job apparently, that thatpart can be a scam too.
So just check into that.
But some of these reviews arepaid for that.
They will get a booking, likewhoever's doing the reviewing
will get like five or 10bookings to review and then they
(12:39):
will have to go in and reviewmaybe like an itinerary or
something, and they will takethat itinerary and go and add
reviews to all those places andthey've either never been or
they've done like 10 of these aday.
So they and I rely heavily onreviews for um just research,
because like I said, I didn'twant to look at those reviews.
We want to know.
(12:59):
So now I and you can sometimestell when reviews are.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
If the English isn't, if there's like it's not proper
English, you can tell that.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Or if it's just if one site, if one, if something
has a lot of the same stylereviews, because you can search
for wording on that and that'swhat I might.
That's what I have to dosometimes is like control, find
and search all that review pageor reverse search.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yeah, reverse search.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
The images.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
The images.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
all that review for reverse search, yeah, reverse
search the images.
The images, yes, because thatwas another thing I read was um,
and this was uh, this was froma travel agent who put this out
there.
She said I'm not going to saythe hotel or where the location
is, but there is this um,smaller boutique hotel that had
like five locations in this areaand say I don't remember the
exact numbers but say three areon the beach and two are not,
(13:48):
but if you stay at any of theirfive you can use all of their
properties and all the picturesfor all five properties are the
ones from their best beachproperty.
So if someone gets the citylocation and they're expecting
the beach and it could be 30, 40minutes away while they can't
access it.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
It's misleading.
So it was very interesting howthis I know we were talking
scams and stuff, but I wasmaking notes of like, ooh, this
is something we got to kind ofmake people aware of, yeah, and
also be mindful because a lot ofthe scammers, instead of it
being like bookingcom not that Iwould advise you to go to that
book, because that is also athird-party vendor, but I always
(14:31):
go straight to the hotel butwhen you are on websites like
that, another thing is make sureyou're hovering over the URL,
make sure it's got the littlelock on it.
It's an actual legit site.
It's an actual legit site.
Another thing that's odd is if,like I'm, if I'm used to
logging into my Marriott and ifI, normally it would
auto-populate, like my name,denise CDIU, and then my
(14:52):
whatever.
If you're used to going on andbooking that way and all of a
sudden your stuff is notauto-populating, there's a good
chance.
Like they've made it, like it'sa fake link.
So you just really have to bejust more mindful every day, all
the time, especially whenthere's money involved.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You know what I'm saying and that leads into and
we've actually had thisconversation within our work
chats the customer service lines.
When, if you get an email oryou get a text that says there's
something wrong with youraccount, your trip or whatever,
please call this customerservice number or reply back.
Don't do that.
Go to the actual website, andI've seen this on a specific
(15:32):
cruise.
I'm not going to throw it outthere, but there's a specific
cruise line where I have beenreading about clients calling to
the cruise line to make achange or make a payment or
whatever and they will get.
Oh well, you still have abalance on your account for port
fees or something or whatever,and they'll pay it.
But that number they called wasnot the correct customer
(15:56):
service.
And come to find out if youGoogle the say XYZ cruise line
customer service and that's thefirst number that pops up, don't
just dial that number because,if you notice, usually the first
one that pops up says sponsoredPeople can pay to have that up
there.
You want to actually go to thatvendor, go to wherever you are,
whoever you're using, go totheir website, scroll down, find
(16:21):
their actual information, theiractual number and call directly
to there, cause this, that hasbeen a big thing that's been
going on right now.
Yeah, calling the wrong customerservice numbers.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Yeah for sure, and like when you're out.
So another thing is and I thinkI mentioned this the other day
and you're like I never thoughtof that.
So people that are like tryingto be overly helpful or friendly
in a touristy area like, oh,let me take your picture, let me
take your picture and you giveyour phone that's got like your
Apple pay, your everything in it, and and then the next thing
(16:52):
you know, you guys are allposing in a cute group and
they've run away with your damnphone that has all of your, all
of your information.
So now I'm very leery to to askpeople, but here's a key that I
would say is safer Ask a momwith small kids, cause she's not
going to run away with herphone with little kids in tow
and a mom is going to be isdefinitely more trustworthy
(17:14):
anyway, if it's just this random, overly friendly person I'm
going to.
First of all, you know I'm allabout a selfie, but I do think
there is good things with peoplestill taking your picture and I
offer, I do offer.
So I was like I wonder if I'mshady, like I'm just saying, be
a little sus If somebody isoverly wanting to take your
(17:35):
phone and offer to take pictures, just be mindful that you don't
realize how much you're.
My phone is like my kidney, youknow what I mean.
Like I, I need that.
I feel lost without it.
So, um, they did say the otherthing you can do is do like,
kind of like a throwaway phone.
If you really want to do aphone or just a cheap, um, a
(17:55):
cheap camera that you can thenput your USB drive in, they just
said don't offer your phone upto pass anybody, yeah, yeah.
And that's another thing and Ididn't even think of this.
Another scam for people to getyour phone is if there, if you
have your phone, and I do thisall the time.
This is why this was actually areally good research lessons,
(18:17):
cause I'm like, okay, don't dothis to me, don't do this, you
do this.
But the other thing is I alwayshave my phone out on the table
at the restaurant.
Okay, so the other thing thatis a scam is if they have a
newspaper or if they have a menu, they'll come and talk to you,
they'll distract you and get youknow, get your attention by
having a conversation, andthey'll set down the menu or set
(18:38):
down a newspaper or whatever.
And then when they walk away tosay, oh, have a good day,
they're picking up your phonewith the menu or with the
newspaper, and I always have myphone out on the table.
Yeah, just be mindful.
Especially if people are tryingto distract you there, that is a
good possibility that they'reeither trying to pick your
pocket, pick pockets as a reallyreally, really trendy, more so
(19:00):
over, you know, in Europe orother abroad countries.
I don't, I don't know, andmaybe, no, maybe we do have
pickpockets here.
I just don't go to the bigcities.
But the other thing is becareful when you have a cross
body.
That's another thing is theslash and grab.
If you're not paying attentionor people you know with the
expensive beats like mopeds andstuff will come.
(19:22):
They'll just come with a mopedand pluck them off your head and
steal them.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah.
It's a wild world, cheryl, Iknow, and it's all about being
aware of your surroundings Oneof the things that on the list
that I am guilty of, and whenyou talk about what we're
learning, that we the bad habitswe do ourselves.
Free wi-fi hot spots yeah, Iconnect almost all the time, um,
(19:49):
and they have.
You have a lot of personalinformation on there yeah, and I
don't know what I'm and thisthis is probably we shouldn't be
putting this out there, but Idon't know what I need to do or
should be doing to protect ifI'm connecting to Wi-Fi, if like
what they can access.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Never give any financial information.
Never give any credit cardinformation.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Well, I know, but they also say that you shouldn't
if you're on a public Wi-Fiserver, whatever it's called,
you should not be logging intoyour own bank account, logging
it, making purchases on your own, because you're using your
financial information on apublic network, on an unsecure
network.
So when I was reading that, Iwas like, hmm, I don't know how
(20:31):
many times I've been sitting atan amusement park or whatever,
or just killing time, amazonshopping or something, and I
don't know.
That's just something that Idon't know if what they can get
access to on a public Wi-Fisystem.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Well, I would just be cautious.
I would just be cautious, don't, don't put anything.
This is the world going toenter the information.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
But can they pull it if you're on the server, Like if
you just connect to Wi-Fi inthe airport or something?
Can someone with a device tworows over if they've got?
Speaker 1 (21:05):
that scammy, fake wifi.
Yeah, they can pull shit offyour phone, I think if, if you
have, if you have stuff existingon there, I don't pay, I don't,
I don't do a lot of the Applepay and stuff, but your stuff is
on your phone, so just bemindful.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I don't log into free wifi Like I just just I try to
you don't connect to like arestaurant's wi-fi if you're
hanging out, I don't, or thehotel.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
I mean, I have before at the hotel when we were at
podfest I did, but I feel likeif that's the hotel, that's the
hotel, but it's still not assecure it's not.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I'm thinking and maybe we're thinking differently
is an unsecure, like my Wi-Fiat home has a password.
You can't log on to my Wi-Fiuntil you know the password.
If I go to the hotel, I can logon to theirs, but it's an
unsecure.
Anybody.
What I'm envisioning is wavesof info just floating all around
so anyone can reach, reach up,who knows what they're doing and
(22:03):
grab it.
I don't think it has to be afake wifi.
I think it's any unsecured wifi.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
So any place you go and connect to their wifi
restaurant, a hotel- I thinkthere's definitely more sus
places Like the air, the airport, is very common for them to do
the fake wifi and and steal yourstuff.
It's usually places that aren'ta business.
You know what I mean Per se iswhat I got.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
So then I was confused, cause I won't.
I wouldn't be connecting to,like Joe Smith's wifi on my list
.
I'm going to connect to abusiness, but that business is
not secure.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
It's what you're saying but I think in this case
they are saying like, if you'rejust desperate and you want to
get on and Joe Schmo is what isthere, then you're like it's
okay.
I'm just going to do this realquick.
You know what I mean.
Just that's what they're saying, like be mindful If it's not
like a business name and you'rejust connecting to a free wifi.
(23:01):
That's what you got, to bemindful of.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
I think it's a free wifi period, even a business a
moment, if it's not a secureline wifi you're taking a risk
at any point.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Right, I see what you're saying.
I just see what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I assumed it was, but that's a good question, cause
we're all seeing it differently.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Okay, so I'm going to do a little thing.
Like a scenario like is this ascam or is this not?
Or maybe you're not and youtell me if you think that it is.
So the first scenario, numberone we talked about this too
good to be true.
Resort deal.
You find a luxury five-starresort in Maldives for $50 a
night on a brand new travelwebsite.
This site has great reviews andphotos.
(23:41):
They look stunning.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (23:44):
I'm leaning towards scam for a couple of reasons.
A brand new site that'ssuspicious.
I'd want to know the history,like did they just revamp?
Did they switch host servers?
Like there should be somehistory right.
Also $50 a night.
Five-star red flag, no matterwhere you are.
No correct.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
That is a scam, correct.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
So those are my first two.
It was like yeah, no.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
So so a lot of websites use stolen photos, like
you've talked about, or fakereviews to learn traveler and
they did say if it seems toogood to be true, it typically is
um.
Scenario two Instagram giveawayfor free vacation.
A popular travel influencer ishosting a free giveaway.
Win a free trip to Greece.
Follow me, like my post, tagfive friends.
(24:27):
You'll see thousands ofcomments and shares.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (24:34):
It could be legit, but it could be a scam.
This is one you need to.
You're so good at this, you'vegot to deep dive into that,
because some of those giveawaysare accurate.
You've got to read the fineprint.
What are they asking for?
How much of your informationare they asking for?
Have they been around for awhile?
(24:55):
Or is it saying if this is anew account, it's a scam?
If it's a new account, it's ascam.
I'm just going to be like, nope, don't trust it.
If it's a new account, it's ascam.
I'm just going to be like, nope, don't trust it.
If it's an established account,if they're so easy to steal,
you got to go back and look atis this something that this
influence, or look?
Speaker 1 (25:10):
for have you?
So you're right, it can be both, but the things you have to
look for like that is have youseen past winners?
Are they posted any pastwinners, or do they ever give?
Speaker 2 (25:19):
away.
Know what I'm gonna do for thatpast winner.
I'm gonna deep dive like howconnected are they?
Did they give this to theirfriend's second cousin?
Speaker 1 (25:25):
like I want to know, right so that one is a
possibility of both.
Okay, right on that one.
So you're two for two.
Good job show.
All right, okay.
So last minute whatsapp traveldeal.
A travel agent messaged you onwhatsapp offering a deeply
discounted last minute packageto Paris, but you need to pay
via bank transfer today.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Red flag bank transfer right there.
We're not asking for a banktransfer.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
We're also not saying last minute If we haven't
communicated with someone, we'renot saying hey.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
we might say hey because I know we've sent out
information, there's a dealthat's ending, but it's been
there for a while.
We're just reminding someonewho might have been interested.
But if a travel agent reachesout to you uninitiated, like
it's just out of the blue, firstof all red flag.
Second, well, once they ask fora bank transfer, I'm out.
(26:20):
That's not legit, right.
Nobody will ask.
Ask for a bank transfer.
I'm out.
That's not legit, right.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Nobody will ask you for a bank transfer in this day
and age.
Mm-mm.
This one I'm not doing becausethis dumb.
But let's just go to scenariofive.
We found an issue with yourhotel booking.
We kind of went over this.
You receive an email frombookingcom saying there's an
issue with your reservation andyou need to confirm your payment
(26:46):
details ASAP.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
So that could be true .
But here's where I much moreI'm savvier now than I used to
be, because 10, 15 years ago,maybe 10 years ago I would have
clicked on oh, I need to gocheck that I would have clicked
through the email.
Now I'm closing that email.
I'm logging into wherever Ibook that, because that does
(27:10):
happen.
But I will tell you because I'vebeen called down to the hotel
desk before.
This again was 1015 years ago.
I was road tripping and I gotcalled down because the credit
card company needed to verify Iwas legit.
But the front desk called meand said hey, we need you to
(27:31):
come down, there's an issue withthe account.
They never asked for anythingover the phone.
I was still suspicious.
I went down and the lady at thefront desk was like hey, we
need you to call.
This was I don't know that wehad.
This was back, I think, when wewere still paying like 10 cents
a call on our cell phones orsomething.
It was a long time ago.
So we I was like I'll use yourphone.
But then I was like, should Ido that?
(27:52):
So I did have to call my creditcard company and verify.
It's because I had been inmultiple states in like the last
week and they were asking aboutit.
But sometimes you don't thinkabout it.
Between the email it seemslegit because things can and do
go wrong with bookings and youneed to confirm.
But you need to go back to theoriginal source.
(28:12):
And now I will always go backto original source and I will
always tell my clients go backto the original source.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
I think that's smart.
That is good.
Okay.
The last one is scenario sixthe TikTok hidden fee airline
hack.
A viral TikTok hack says youcan buy a hidden city airline
ticket, booking to onedestination but getting off at
another layover city for 50% offon airfare.
Is that legit or is it scam?
Speaker 2 (28:39):
So say that, say that part, say it again.
I have to okay Cause just saythe what the whole thing is at
the back.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Okay, a viral TikTok hack says you can buy a hidden
city airline ticket, booking toa destination but getting off at
a layover city, and you cansave 50% off on your airfare.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Oh, so they're saying book a multi-stop flight for
cheaper to get off at thelayover.
Yeah, it's also known as skiplagging.
So that is a that is somethingpeople do.
However, we don't recommend itfor a couple reasons.
One once the airline catches on, they can ban you from the
(29:23):
airline.
Like, if you're doing, if youdon't book from here, like from
charlotte to we don't have a lotof, let's say, charlotte to the
west coast and you really wantto go to Dallas, but it's
cheaper, don't.
Don't do that because, um, theairline can ban you from using
them to to do that.
I don't know if they can makeyou pay the difference.
(29:43):
I believe we had heard aboutthis before, but also, this was
the first time I've ever heardabout skip lagging.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
So essentially, like what Cheryl's saying, like if,
if I'm in New York and I want toget to Charlotte, but a direct
flight from New York toCharlotte is $250.
Well, sometimes there's a oneway ticket from New York to,
let's say, orlando, with alayover in Charlotte, for $150.
(30:10):
So it's a hundred dollars left.
Well, what's wrong with justgoing from New York and instead
of, instead of going all the waythrough to Orlando, you just
get off in Charlotte, which iswhere you wanted to go anyway,
right?
Um, well, the the airlinesdon't like it.
I've never heard of anybodybeing physically sued or having
to pay the difference.
(30:31):
But I will say this if you'regoing to attempt that, it's
risky.
The answer is it's real, butit's risky.
We don't advise that as traveladvisors, because a lot of
things can go wrong.
The airlines don't like it, andyou also would have to make
sure you have a carry on andmake sure that your carry on is
not then checked, because yourbags will go onto Orlando and
(30:51):
then you'll be in Charlotte andyou don't have your bag.
So that's definitely a majorproblem with that scenario.
But if you do just have abackpack and whatever.
You probably can get away withit with just getting off and
doing that.
But so I thought that skiplagging was such an interesting
concept.
Um, and you would never want todo it on a round trip ticket
(31:12):
either, because once you don'tget off, once you don't get on,
the rest of your ticket iscanceled.
All of the rest of them arecanceled.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So it's a very risky concept, it's a good thing to
bring to light, and I think weshould be asking the question
why is it cheaper for me to booka flight from, say, New York to
Orlando and get off inCharlotte instead of booking
directly to Charlotte?
Like I'd be curious to know.
It's all like supply and demand.
There's more.
There's like more for directflight to show?
(31:42):
Okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
In Charlotte.
Unfortunately, where we live,Charlotte's one of the most
expensive airports to fly intoor fly out of.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
It kind of sucks.
It does.
I will tend.
I have looked because we're notfar from the Greensboro Raleigh
area.
I will look up there for theRaleigh airport.
I will look down in SouthCarolina.
They're smaller airports but ifI sometimes it's worth the
drive, it may be worth the driveto the hour two hour drives to
(32:10):
save 200 bucks Maybe I don'tknow, but I do look at the
surrounding airports.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
I agree, so.
So, while skip lagging is areal thing and it is, it can
save you some money it there's alot of risk involved with it.
Uh, would you do?
Have you ever done anythinglike that, Would you?
Speaker 2 (32:29):
know Good Lord.
No, first of all, all I'mterrified.
I am so afraid of airports likeI'm gonna get in trouble.
I don't do anything wrong, butI swear I'm walking around like
I'm gonna get in trouble all thetime.
So there's no way that I'm now.
I have missed flights,especially when I was a younger
traveler in my like early 20s,because I just poor time
(32:51):
management, where I haveactually had to leave the
airport because I can't get outtill the next day and to because
I'm thinking how can, if you'remissing that connecting flight
or you're just stuck in yourlayover?
Maybe you missed your flight,maybe, whatever the case may be,
like they would have to, reallyyeah.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Well, and if you get ill like if I'm on my way to
Orlando and I get violently illor food poisoning and I cannot
physically be on the flight,then you have to get off at
Charlotte Like if that's whathappened.
There's going to becircumstances where you don't
end up in your final destinationand I get that.
I'm just saying this hidden,hidden city.
(33:32):
This is a thing that people do.
This is almost like athrill-seeking thing.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Or I guess, I just know.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
I'm too pansy.
I stay in my lane.
Listen, I'm a rule follower.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
I would have to prepare to not check luggage,
and that in itself is a dealbreaker.
That's just too much work.
I would be so nervous exitingthe airport, thinking they're
going to be like get back here,you have one more flight to go.
Like it would stress me out toomuch.
Speaker 1 (34:03):
I don't think I could do it intentionally.
Yeah, I'm not.
I'm not going to be skipflagging, but it is a real thing
and it people do it.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Let us know if you or listeners or you or someone you
know has done this, where theywill schedule a longer flight
and just get off in the layoverbecause it was cheaper.
I mean, you can do itanonymously too, we won't rat
you out, but I'm just curiouslike the balls it takes to do
that, because I would be soscared.
I agree.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
The one thing that I have been tempted to want to do,
that Cause I'm I would be soscared, I agree.
The one thing that I have beentempted to want to do is, if you
find in a middle city that thelayover is long enough, like if
it's a 12 hour or 18 hourlayover if you leave the airport
and then go venture out to thatcity, I'd still don't think I
would be brave enough to do that?
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I would absolutely do that If I had like a 12 hour
layover, or if I if I was goingto a city, cause you know, I
have my map and I love to put mypin the cities I've been to.
So if my layover was in a cityI've never been and there's
something I can go explore and Icould schedule like a 12 hour
layover, I probably would, justso I could go explore and be
(35:14):
able to.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Yeah, that seems tempting as long as I'm not
alone.
I would have to be with you orsomebody.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I mean, I couldn't go far for a 12 hour layover.
The furthest I would go wouldbe two hours out from the
airport, because I would be ableto get back.
I wouldn't even go that far.
I would do a two hour radius,that's.
That's about as far as I wouldgo.
Wow, you're so brave.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Cheryl.
Well, yeah, so we're justtelling you guys, these are some
of the scams.
The other thing that I know wedidn't mention and we actually
fell well, I won't say fellvictim to, but the other big one
is if your taxi does not have ameter, and in general, just
know what you're doing withtaxis In general just take an
(35:57):
Uber and I'm I listen, I'm nottrying to Twice.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I would say I don't know that we got scammed.
I think we just got screwedover because we weren't
knowledgeable.
But twice, once in New York andonce in Orlando.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Right.
So what I will say is if you'renot familiar with where you're
going which we were not they cantake a very long way around, so
you have to pay more money Ifthe meter's not working at all.
What I would say is make surewhen you get into that taxi how
much we're going from here toOrlando or the Disney or
(36:31):
whatever.
They should give you an upfrontcost.
They should say it's going tobe around a hundred dollars or
it's going to be for that's whathappened in, or I don't.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
I think it was in orlando.
We walked out and we weredebating uber or taxis and there
was a line of taxis and we hada lot of luggage.
So we're like let's take thisvan Uber I mean this van taxi
and it said flat rate from hereto the area the general area we
were going was not that it waslike a $50 flat rate or whatever
(37:02):
.
That Uber or that taxi ridealmost cost us $150.
I know.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
It was nothing like what they said, so you just have
to be mindful.
Yeah, and I would always.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Uber's more upfront.
Personally, I would always domore up front with their.
Personally, I would always douber or lyft now, because we got
so screwed over by that taxi,because and you can visually see
like their estimated cost andthat is that was much more
reliable so far everywhere we'vebeen, because we both times
times in New York and in Orlando, when we went back to wherever
(37:35):
we went, we did Uber instead ofthe taxi and it was cheaper and
it was more clear on their costsand what we could expect and it
was accurate, like what theyproposed was very, very close to
what we actually ended uppaying, right.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Yeah, and it's all transactional on your phone.
You're paying through yourphone.
That's the other thing they say.
Don't if especially if you'rein foreign countries don't pay,
don't pay with cash, try toavoid.
Because I guess this onescammer was like they had all
these hundred dollar bills andthe taxi driver was like this is
counterfeit.
And he took it.
(38:10):
So he and he's given it back,but he's really exchanging out
your real money for hiscounterfeit and saying your
money's counterfeit.
And so he said he lost out on$500 because the guy kept saying
he's like.
I thought it was odd that hekept looking at it and then
saying it was fake and giving itback to me and he's like, by
the like, the fifth time Inoticed that it didn't.
(38:31):
My money was crisp and new andthe money he was giving me back
did not look like that.
So I he's like.
I exited the, but he lost $500before he realized what was
happening.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Yeah, but one.
Why are you traveling with ahundred dollars bills Like
something you would be surprisedhow much?
Speaker 1 (38:49):
people travel with cat.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
lots of cash on you much people travel with lots of
cash on you, so not only $20 ismostly what I have like the
highest bill.
And then I have them, all mymoney broken up in different
spots, even in my purse, mywallet, my on my in my pocket
spending and what I'm wearing,all of my cash is not all in one
spot, it's all that's smart.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
It's all over my body .
Speaker 2 (39:12):
It's all over my body .
It's all over my body.
It's in my bra.
It's like I'm not getting stuckwhen I used to carry cash.
Now I don't ever have cash andI and they also say be careful
in foreign countries.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Don't you know how the they have the currency
changers.
They said make sure they're,they say, really mindful.
Make sure you're going tosomething that you know that
it's a currency changer, causethey even have fake ones just
that are given out the wrongtype of currency.
Like, let's say, you're inNetherlands and some of those
(39:45):
machines will give out you likeRussian currency.
And so that's like you'reputting in your money and
thinking you're getting itchanged out, and it's not even
the type of money that you canuse in that country.
So that's another one that youneed to be mindful of.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Have you ever had to do a currency exchange before?
Speaker 1 (40:01):
I have not.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
So one of the things I didn't know whatever you pay
for in, like if you're paying inUS dollars or you're paying in
the current currency, if you'renot aware of the currency
exchange rate, make sure you getyour change back and what you
paid in, because you could belosing out with that exchange
rate.
Right, I was looking into thiswhen I was helping a study
(40:25):
abroad student when they weretraveling, because it was
something we had to dig intowith the currency exchange rate,
and I was like and I read thatthat's what they recommended,
because if you're paying in USdollars and you take their money
back, you actually might belosing money because when you go
(40:46):
to exchange it before you peaceout, you're not getting the
equivalent of what you should.
Yep.
So I would never have thought ofthat.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
There are a lot of tricky things out there, people.
We hope that we've pointed outsome of the just the type of
scams that are going on.
So just be mindful when you'reout and about and traveling.
Um, just keep your wits aboutyou and, um, like, our biggest
takeaway is if it seems too goodto be true, it probably is.
Speaker 2 (41:17):
Let us know if you have experienced any of the
scams we mentioned, or if weforgot to mention something that
you know about, because we, ifthere's something we didn't give
like give a warning about, butyou know it's happened to you or
you're like this is out there,I've heard of this.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
Then let us know that too.
We always want to be the mostadvised and give the best
information.
Yeah, so I think that's goingto do it for us today.
Guys, be safe out there.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Have fun you.
hey there.
So um happy thursday, is itthursday?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I think it is.
I think it is thursday.
We don't usually record onthursdays.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I think that's why I'm off this week we've been all
out of sorts this week and theallergies are still kicking our
ass, both of us.
So if we're snotty or snifflingor crying, just bear with us.
Um, so this week, uh, thisweek's episode is kind of it's
trending and relevant becausescams we're talking about scams,
(00:45):
travel scams specifically.
But I will say that, doing alittle bit of research in this,
travel scams have gone up 900%in the last year.
900%, that's a lot.
With the eye out there, it'sgetting trickier and trickier to
spot a scam and I think thatthe um, I think the telltale
(01:08):
sign and we always are such sonaive to this, but if it seems
too good to be true, it probablyis correct, yes, but we want it
to be true and we want to betrustworthy and be like well,
well, and some of these scamsare just so savvy I'm like man
that it took a lot of work justto come up with a scam.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So I don't know, I just I, I have you fallen for a
scam?
Oh yeah, what did you fall for?
Um, the Facebook.
I still have not received myFacebook ad or my Facebook
purchase from the bookshelf.
I spend probably a year and Istill haven't received that
bookshelf.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Oh my God, I was saying the same thing at the
same time.
Facebook I got, yeah, and thestupid thing was it wasn't even
anything for me.
It was like this it wasn't anLL Bean backpack, it was one of
like a trendy backpack andthey're like, oh, it's from you
know, and you can get it for $9,and it's normally a hundred
dollar backpack.
It was like a trendy backpackand they're like, oh, it's from
you know, and you can get it for$9, and it's normally a hundred
(02:07):
dollar backpack.
And I was like you know what?
I don't have a great backpack,but I can always gift this la la
la.
And I was like a backpack,denise, like so stupid I had to
get my credit, my car changedout and all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
So that's the key.
If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
That is the theme that we'regoing to carry through this
whole thing.
So, just kind of going oversome of this, let's start with
the small ones.
Yeah, the ones that you wouldtypically see just kind of out
and about.
We'll get into like the biggerones.
So what's one that you think ofwhen you're in a touristy spot?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
what's one that you think of when you're in a
touristy spot?
Well, so I've heard of thewhole.
I see I don't.
I've only been to Vegas once.
That whole three card moneywhere the cup, the shell trick
and stuff like that, where theywant you to, they essentially
want you to bet, they want youto try to figure out what when
it's under like that.
I would never do anything likethat with you.
I'm not a better.
You're a gambler, I'm not.
I am a gambler.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I mean because I love Vegas and I do gamble.
But would I do it on the street?
Probably not, not somethinglike that, because I know it's a
sleight of hand trick.
I mean it's like a magician'strick when it comes to that.
Now, if it a game of chance, Iwould probably be suckered into
one or two of those for a buckor two hero there, just for
(03:29):
shits and giggles kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
and I don't.
I'm too shy to do that.
I wouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I wouldn't want to be the center of attention,
getting like being the personthat's getting you know what I
mean, like I especially now witheverybody having a camera and
ending up on TikTok, because Idon't want to be that person and
be like where everybody'schatting.
Did you just see her getscammed?
How did she fall for that?
Like?
That's a bitch.
Exactly, that's what I don'twant.
(03:56):
Um, one of the things that I'veseen in and I can't remember if
it was I don't think I saw it inVegas, I think it's in New York
.
Um, it is, but especially over,like in Nassau, this is where I
saw it the most the braceletscam.
They do that.
They want to give you somethingand then the second they put it
(04:16):
on you.
You're there like um, you knownow wanting a donation or
wanting something because theymade it custom for you or
whatever, and I I don't.
I get suckered into those.
Although I don't pay, I makesure I give it back and it does
become, it does cause a scene,but I don't like that.
And the reason why I'm suckeredinto them is because I'm the
(04:39):
type when they do it to the kids.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
They give it to the kids is what happened to us in
San Juan.
They they tried to give a giftto the kids and then the kids
don't know to not take it or togive it back.
You know what I mean.
And then they want your, thenthey want you to give them money
.
So it's like, oh, that's notcool man.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, um, one of the others.
I was just trying to think ofwhat it was.
Uh, oh, the photos, takingphotos with people.
This is big in vegas and newyork city, new york with
characters like hello kitty orthe or even them.
Just dress vegas.
It was more of them beingdressed up, not necessarily
characters that you wouldrecognize, but character
(05:19):
whatever their costume.
Character is, um could be anextravagant.
I actually followed thisstripper um, I think she's
called her, it's on tiktok andshe's like old ass stripper or
something like that and she, herwhole.
It's a persona that she does andshe was never a stripper, but
she's an older lady with I thinkshe's freaking hilarious and
that's great um, she goes outthere and she, she will take
(05:41):
pictures, and but she wastalking about it and I you want
to take pictures with people.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Well, but there should be an understanding
whether there's money involvedor not.
You know what I mean.
Like it's kind of like a baitand switch at that point.
You know what I mean.
Like hey, come, get in thepicture.
But then you're like, oh,that's going to be $10.
Like that's not cool, I don'tknow.
Yeah, another thing I will say.
So the other thing you have tobe careful with now is when
(06:09):
you're in a hotel and thishappened to us last year like
when you're in a hotel, if theyever call you and want to read
it, if they're like oh, themachine, the front machines are
down.
We need to verify your creditcard number to bill your room.
Don't ever, ever, ever give anyinformation.
Just be like okay, I'll comehandle it at the front desk,
(06:32):
right, so?
And then the same thing, eventhough it wasn't giving my
actual credit card information,last year, when we grabbed a
couple of drinks and we hadalready checked in the hotel,
the lady is like what's yourroom number?
I'll just charge it to yourroom.
I fucking shouted out our roomnumber.
Yeah, I didn't even think aboutit.
So now I've told somebody myroom number and then they could
be like yeah, put it to room two11, Denise.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Not only could they charge it, but now they know
these two ladies are in a roomand what their room number is.
And I, yeah, I did.
I looked at you and I was likedid you just do that?
I?
Speaker 1 (07:04):
wasn't even thinking the other.
I'm so naive, I really am.
And then the other thing that Ididn't even know was a scam.
But apparently and even Disneyis putting out things in the
room you know how they slideshit under your door and
typically it could be like amenu for a restaurant people
order.
So there's been a lot of scamsin that.
(07:24):
It's a menu, it's not going toa restaurant and you're calling
in this order for, like pizza orwhatever, and you've been out
all day.
Remember how at our pod fest,we were just exhausted.
It was so easy to just orderroom service, right, you got to
be careful because you can'ttrust anybody anymore.
Go with your Uber Eats or yourDoorDash, because don't ever
(07:44):
just follow anything under aflyer that came under your door,
because it's not a realrestaurant.
You call in, you give yourorder, you give your credit card
number and you're never goingto get that pizza but they're
just going to take your money.
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
When you told me that I didn't know this was a thing,
I hadn't heard about it, I waskind of shocked because I
remember, because we roadtripped a lot, especially
because we always lived awayfrom family, so we would,
wherever we were stationed, we'dvisit and tour, be a tourist in
that state.
And I remember that was one ofmy things is we would, when you
(08:20):
would check in sometime, eitherthat evening or the next day,
you'd have the local placesflyers under your door and we
would we want local stuff.
So back then we didn't haveDoorDash or anything like that
and we always referred to thoseflyers.
But also and I miss this, Istill look for it every hotel I
(08:41):
go to I miss the book that theyused to put, the little binder
they used to put in your hotelthat had the menus of the local
restaurant.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, the local restaurant, that were legit.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
And I still, to this day, look for that because I
appreciate the local I can call.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
And you can still get that.
You can still find that,sometimes Like we stayed in
Nashville oh God, it's been likefive years now.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
So maybe they don't do it anymore, cause the last
I'd say.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
I mean, I think, the scammers have kind of ruined it
for people to be able to justcall in and think that they're
getting something now, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Well, I think maybe if hotels would go back to
putting that in the rooms of hey, these are the local mom and
pop places or our top whateverit was really like when you stay
out by the beach, like out inthe outer banks or something,
having that is, it was reallynice I.
I liked having that.
I liked having the umrecommendation from the locals
(09:37):
of where I should go.
So I would absolutely fallvictim to the scam under the
fire.
I would just try the localstuff.
Yeah, do your diligence now atthis point, because it is a
thing like and even under thedoor flyer, I want to try the
local stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, do your diligence now at this point,
because it is a thing like andeven the Disney flyer I saw this
on um, I guess on my feed theother day.
They were saying even Disney isputting things in the room
saying don't fall for any flyersthat come under your door,
because we've had so muchscamming going on Um, and so
people are just trying to makethemselves more aware.
(10:07):
Um.
The other thing and I I justdealt with this yesterday.
Uh, we rented an Airbnb forNapa and we just got an email
the other day saying um, doublecheck to make sure that you're
really booked at this Airbnb,because the owner has had some
fraudulent activity on theiraccount.
(10:27):
Make sure that if you alreadyhave paid, you paid to the right
person and you got aconfirmation.
I'm like it's really scary.
The other thing is you have tomake sure that you're looking
for reviews, because a lot ofAirbnbs or VRBOs, all of that
stuff they do like a bait andswitch where you they're showing
pictures of this one place.
Another thing is, if it seemsto the price is too good to be
(10:51):
true, it possibly is not.
You're not getting.
What you roll up in is not thepictures you saw online um, have
you ever had anything like thathappen to you with an airbnb?
Luckily, ours is still okay forNapa, but that is a.
That is definitely a concern isthe Airbnb scams.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Well, you know, I'd prefer hotel or resorts over
Airbnb and VRV.
That's not my jam I do.
It makes me nervous becausewhen I get clients that request
that first of all thoselocations don't pay commission,
so usually you'll have to gothrough.
A third party like Expedia willlet us book Airbnb and VRB.
(11:32):
I don't like using thirdparties like that, so they're a
little trickier to verify and todo.
You have to go a little bitfurther to be for yourself as
well as for our clients to makesure they are legit.
But I will say, when we werecreating this topic and I was
researching this episode, one ofthe things that came up that I
(11:53):
didn't know was a thing becausewe had started this conversation
all about, like AI travel andwe didn't know quite enough
about it.
So we started researching andit kind of led us down this
rabbit hole.
But during research I foundsomething about AI generated
fake reviews and then that ledto people that are hired to give
(12:17):
travel reviews.
I went down a complete rabbithole on this that this is a
remote job apparently, that thatpart can be a scam too.
So just check into that.
But some of these reviews arepaid for that.
They will get a booking, likewhoever's doing the reviewing
will get like five or 10bookings to review and then they
(12:39):
will have to go in and reviewmaybe like an itinerary or
something, and they will takethat itinerary and go and add
reviews to all those places andthey've either never been or
they've done like 10 of these aday.
So they and I rely heavily onreviews for um just research,
because like I said, I didn'twant to look at those reviews.
We want to know.
(12:59):
So now I and you can sometimestell when reviews are.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
If the English isn't, if there's like it's not proper
English, you can tell that.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Or if it's just if one site, if one, if something
has a lot of the same stylereviews, because you can search
for wording on that and that'swhat I might.
That's what I have to dosometimes is like control, find
and search all that review pageor reverse search.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Yeah, reverse search.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
The images.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
The images.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
all that review for reverse search, yeah, reverse
search the images.
The images, yes, because thatwas another thing I read was um,
and this was uh, this was froma travel agent who put this out
there.
She said I'm not going to saythe hotel or where the location
is, but there is this um,smaller boutique hotel that had
like five locations in this areaand say I don't remember the
exact numbers but say three areon the beach and two are not,
(13:48):
but if you stay at any of theirfive you can use all of their
properties and all the picturesfor all five properties are the
ones from their best beachproperty.
So if someone gets the citylocation and they're expecting
the beach and it could be 30, 40minutes away while they can't
access it.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
It's misleading.
So it was very interesting howthis I know we were talking
scams and stuff, but I wasmaking notes of like, ooh, this
is something we got to kind ofmake people aware of, yeah, and
also be mindful because a lot ofthe scammers, instead of it
being like bookingcom not that Iwould advise you to go to that
book, because that is also athird-party vendor, but I always
(14:31):
go straight to the hotel butwhen you are on websites like
that, another thing is make sureyou're hovering over the URL,
make sure it's got the littlelock on it.
It's an actual legit site.
It's an actual legit site.
Another thing that's odd is if,like I'm, if I'm used to
logging into my Marriott and ifI, normally it would
auto-populate, like my name,denise CDIU, and then my
(14:52):
whatever.
If you're used to going on andbooking that way and all of a
sudden your stuff is notauto-populating, there's a good
chance.
Like they've made it, like it'sa fake link.
So you just really have to bejust more mindful every day, all
the time, especially whenthere's money involved.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
You know what I'm saying and that leads into and
we've actually had thisconversation within our work
chats the customer service lines.
When, if you get an email oryou get a text that says there's
something wrong with youraccount, your trip or whatever,
please call this customerservice number or reply back.
Don't do that.
Go to the actual website, andI've seen this on a specific
(15:32):
cruise.
I'm not going to throw it outthere, but there's a specific
cruise line where I have beenreading about clients calling to
the cruise line to make achange or make a payment or
whatever and they will get.
Oh well, you still have abalance on your account for port
fees or something or whatever,and they'll pay it.
But that number they called wasnot the correct customer
(15:56):
service.
And come to find out if youGoogle the say XYZ cruise line
customer service and that's thefirst number that pops up, don't
just dial that number because,if you notice, usually the first
one that pops up says sponsoredPeople can pay to have that up
there.
You want to actually go to thatvendor, go to wherever you are,
whoever you're using, go totheir website, scroll down, find
(16:21):
their actual information, theiractual number and call directly
to there, cause this, that hasbeen a big thing that's been
going on right now.
Yeah, calling the wrong customerservice numbers.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
Yeah for sure, and like when you're out.
So another thing is and I thinkI mentioned this the other day
and you're like I never thoughtof that.
So people that are like tryingto be overly helpful or friendly
in a touristy area like, oh,let me take your picture, let me
take your picture and you giveyour phone that's got like your
Apple pay, your everything in it, and and then the next thing
(16:52):
you know, you guys are allposing in a cute group and
they've run away with your damnphone that has all of your, all
of your information.
So now I'm very leery to to askpeople, but here's a key that I
would say is safer Ask a momwith small kids, cause she's not
going to run away with herphone with little kids in tow
and a mom is going to be isdefinitely more trustworthy
(17:14):
anyway, if it's just this random, overly friendly person I'm
going to.
First of all, you know I'm allabout a selfie, but I do think
there is good things with peoplestill taking your picture and I
offer, I do offer.
So I was like I wonder if I'mshady, like I'm just saying, be
a little sus If somebody isoverly wanting to take your
(17:35):
phone and offer to take pictures, just be mindful that you don't
realize how much you're.
My phone is like my kidney, youknow what I mean.
Like I, I need that.
I feel lost without it.
So, um, they did say the otherthing you can do is do like,
kind of like a throwaway phone.
If you really want to do aphone or just a cheap, um, a
(17:55):
cheap camera that you can thenput your USB drive in, they just
said don't offer your phone upto pass anybody, yeah, yeah.
And that's another thing and Ididn't even think of this.
Another scam for people to getyour phone is if there, if you
have your phone, and I do thisall the time.
This is why this was actually areally good research lessons,
(18:17):
cause I'm like, okay, don't dothis to me, don't do this, you
do this.
But the other thing is I alwayshave my phone out on the table
at the restaurant.
Okay, so the other thing thatis a scam is if they have a
newspaper or if they have a menu, they'll come and talk to you,
they'll distract you and get youknow, get your attention by
having a conversation, andthey'll set down the menu or set
(18:38):
down a newspaper or whatever.
And then when they walk away tosay, oh, have a good day,
they're picking up your phonewith the menu or with the
newspaper, and I always have myphone out on the table.
Yeah, just be mindful.
Especially if people are tryingto distract you there, that is a
good possibility that they'reeither trying to pick your
pocket, pick pockets as a reallyreally, really trendy, more so
(19:00):
over, you know, in Europe orother abroad countries.
I don't, I don't know, andmaybe, no, maybe we do have
pickpockets here.
I just don't go to the bigcities.
But the other thing is becareful when you have a cross
body.
That's another thing is theslash and grab.
If you're not paying attentionor people you know with the
expensive beats like mopeds andstuff will come.
(19:22):
They'll just come with a mopedand pluck them off your head and
steal them.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah.
It's a wild world, cheryl, Iknow, and it's all about being
aware of your surroundings Oneof the things that on the list
that I am guilty of, and whenyou talk about what we're
learning, that we the bad habitswe do ourselves.
Free wi-fi hot spots yeah, Iconnect almost all the time, um,
(19:49):
and they have.
You have a lot of personalinformation on there yeah, and I
don't know what I'm and thisthis is probably we shouldn't be
putting this out there, but Idon't know what I need to do or
should be doing to protect ifI'm connecting to Wi-Fi, if like
what they can access.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Never give any financial information.
Never give any credit cardinformation.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
Well, I know, but they also say that you shouldn't
if you're on a public Wi-Fiserver, whatever it's called,
you should not be logging intoyour own bank account, logging
it, making purchases on your own, because you're using your
financial information on apublic network, on an unsecure
network.
So when I was reading that, Iwas like, hmm, I don't know how
(20:31):
many times I've been sitting atan amusement park or whatever,
or just killing time, amazonshopping or something, and I
don't know.
That's just something that Idon't know if what they can get
access to on a public Wi-Fisystem.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
Well, I would just be cautious.
I would just be cautious, don't, don't put anything.
This is the world going toenter the information.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
But can they pull it if you're on the server, Like if
you just connect to Wi-Fi inthe airport or something?
Can someone with a device tworows over if they've got?
Speaker 1 (21:05):
that scammy, fake wifi.
Yeah, they can pull shit offyour phone, I think if, if you
have, if you have stuff existingon there, I don't pay, I don't,
I don't do a lot of the Applepay and stuff, but your stuff is
on your phone, so just bemindful.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
I don't log into free wifi Like I just just I try to
you don't connect to like arestaurant's wi-fi if you're
hanging out, I don't, or thehotel.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
I mean, I have before at the hotel when we were at
podfest I did, but I feel likeif that's the hotel, that's the
hotel, but it's still not assecure it's not.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
I'm thinking and maybe we're thinking differently
is an unsecure, like my Wi-Fiat home has a password.
You can't log on to my Wi-Fiuntil you know the password.
If I go to the hotel, I can logon to theirs, but it's an
unsecure.
Anybody.
What I'm envisioning is wavesof info just floating all around
so anyone can reach, reach up,who knows what they're doing and
(22:03):
grab it.
I don't think it has to be afake wifi.
I think it's any unsecured wifi.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
So any place you go and connect to their wifi
restaurant, a hotel- I thinkthere's definitely more sus
places Like the air, the airport, is very common for them to do
the fake wifi and and steal yourstuff.
It's usually places that aren'ta business.
You know what I mean Per se iswhat I got.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
So then I was confused, cause I won't.
I wouldn't be connecting to,like Joe Smith's wifi on my list
.
I'm going to connect to abusiness, but that business is
not secure.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
It's what you're saying but I think in this case
they are saying like, if you'rejust desperate and you want to
get on and Joe Schmo is what isthere, then you're like it's
okay.
I'm just going to do this realquick.
You know what I mean.
Just that's what they're saying, like be mindful If it's not
like a business name and you'rejust connecting to a free wifi.
(23:01):
That's what you got, to bemindful of.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
I think it's a free wifi period, even a business a
moment, if it's not a secureline wifi you're taking a risk
at any point.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Right, I see what you're saying.
I just see what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I assumed it was, but that's a good question, cause
we're all seeing it differently.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Okay, so I'm going to do a little thing.
Like a scenario like is this ascam or is this not?
Or maybe you're not and youtell me if you think that it is.
So the first scenario, numberone we talked about this too
good to be true.
Resort deal.
You find a luxury five-starresort in Maldives for $50 a
night on a brand new travelwebsite.
This site has great reviews andphotos.
(23:41):
They look stunning.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (23:44):
I'm leaning towards scam for a couple of reasons.
A brand new site that'ssuspicious.
I'd want to know the history,like did they just revamp?
Did they switch host servers?
Like there should be somehistory right.
Also $50 a night.
Five-star red flag, no matterwhere you are.
No correct.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
That is a scam, correct.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
So those are my first two.
It was like yeah, no.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
So so a lot of websites use stolen photos, like
you've talked about, or fakereviews to learn traveler and
they did say if it seems toogood to be true, it typically is
um.
Scenario two Instagram giveawayfor free vacation.
A popular travel influencer ishosting a free giveaway.
Win a free trip to Greece.
Follow me, like my post, tagfive friends.
(24:27):
You'll see thousands ofcomments and shares.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (24:34):
It could be legit, but it could be a scam.
This is one you need to.
You're so good at this, you'vegot to deep dive into that,
because some of those giveawaysare accurate.
You've got to read the fineprint.
What are they asking for?
How much of your informationare they asking for?
Have they been around for awhile?
(24:55):
Or is it saying if this is anew account, it's a scam?
If it's a new account, it's ascam.
I'm just going to be like, nope, don't trust it.
If it's a new account, it's ascam.
I'm just going to be like, nope, don't trust it.
If it's an established account,if they're so easy to steal,
you got to go back and look atis this something that this
influence, or look?
Speaker 1 (25:10):
for have you?
So you're right, it can be both, but the things you have to
look for like that is have youseen past winners?
Are they posted any pastwinners, or do they ever give?
Speaker 2 (25:19):
away.
Know what I'm gonna do for thatpast winner.
I'm gonna deep dive like howconnected are they?
Did they give this to theirfriend's second cousin?
Speaker 1 (25:25):
like I want to know, right so that one is a
possibility of both.
Okay, right on that one.
So you're two for two.
Good job show.
All right, okay.
So last minute whatsapp traveldeal.
A travel agent messaged you onwhatsapp offering a deeply
discounted last minute packageto Paris, but you need to pay
via bank transfer today.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Red flag bank transfer right there.
We're not asking for a banktransfer.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
We're also not saying last minute If we haven't
communicated with someone, we'renot saying hey.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
we might say hey because I know we've sent out
information, there's a dealthat's ending, but it's been
there for a while.
We're just reminding someonewho might have been interested.
But if a travel agent reachesout to you uninitiated, like
it's just out of the blue, firstof all red flag.
Second, well, once they ask fora bank transfer, I'm out.
(26:20):
That's not legit, right.
Nobody will ask.
Ask for a bank transfer.
I'm out.
That's not legit, right.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Nobody will ask you for a bank transfer in this day
and age.
Mm-mm.
This one I'm not doing becausethis dumb.
But let's just go to scenariofive.
We found an issue with yourhotel booking.
We kind of went over this.
You receive an email frombookingcom saying there's an
issue with your reservation andyou need to confirm your payment
(26:46):
details ASAP.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
So that could be true .
But here's where I much moreI'm savvier now than I used to
be, because 10, 15 years ago,maybe 10 years ago I would have
clicked on oh, I need to gocheck that I would have clicked
through the email.
Now I'm closing that email.
I'm logging into wherever Ibook that, because that does
(27:10):
happen.
But I will tell you because I'vebeen called down to the hotel
desk before.
This again was 1015 years ago.
I was road tripping and I gotcalled down because the credit
card company needed to verify Iwas legit.
But the front desk called meand said hey, we need you to
(27:31):
come down, there's an issue withthe account.
They never asked for anythingover the phone.
I was still suspicious.
I went down and the lady at thefront desk was like hey, we
need you to call.
This was I don't know that wehad.
This was back, I think, when wewere still paying like 10 cents
a call on our cell phones orsomething.
It was a long time ago.
So we I was like I'll use yourphone.
But then I was like, should Ido that?
(27:52):
So I did have to call my creditcard company and verify.
It's because I had been inmultiple states in like the last
week and they were asking aboutit.
But sometimes you don't thinkabout it.
Between the email it seemslegit because things can and do
go wrong with bookings and youneed to confirm.
But you need to go back to theoriginal source.
(28:12):
And now I will always go backto original source and I will
always tell my clients go backto the original source.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
I think that's smart.
That is good.
Okay.
The last one is scenario sixthe TikTok hidden fee airline
hack.
A viral TikTok hack says youcan buy a hidden city airline
ticket, booking to onedestination but getting off at
another layover city for 50% offon airfare.
Is that legit or is it scam?
Speaker 2 (28:39):
So say that, say that part, say it again.
I have to okay Cause just saythe what the whole thing is at
the back.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Okay, a viral TikTok hack says you can buy a hidden
city airline ticket, booking toa destination but getting off at
a layover city, and you cansave 50% off on your airfare.
Is it legit or is it a scam?
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Oh, so they're saying book a multi-stop flight for
cheaper to get off at thelayover.
Yeah, it's also known as skiplagging.
So that is a that is somethingpeople do.
However, we don't recommend itfor a couple reasons.
One once the airline catches on, they can ban you from the
(29:23):
airline.
Like, if you're doing, if youdon't book from here, like from
charlotte to we don't have a lotof, let's say, charlotte to the
west coast and you really wantto go to Dallas, but it's
cheaper, don't.
Don't do that because, um, theairline can ban you from using
them to to do that.
I don't know if they can makeyou pay the difference.
(29:43):
I believe we had heard aboutthis before, but also, this was
the first time I've ever heardabout skip lagging.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
So essentially, like what Cheryl's saying, like if,
if I'm in New York and I want toget to Charlotte, but a direct
flight from New York toCharlotte is $250.
Well, sometimes there's a oneway ticket from New York to,
let's say, orlando, with alayover in Charlotte, for $150.
(30:10):
So it's a hundred dollars left.
Well, what's wrong with justgoing from New York and instead
of, instead of going all the waythrough to Orlando, you just
get off in Charlotte, which iswhere you wanted to go anyway,
right?
Um, well, the the airlinesdon't like it.
I've never heard of anybodybeing physically sued or having
to pay the difference.
(30:31):
But I will say this if you'regoing to attempt that, it's
risky.
The answer is it's real, butit's risky.
We don't advise that as traveladvisors, because a lot of
things can go wrong.
The airlines don't like it, andyou also would have to make
sure you have a carry on andmake sure that your carry on is
not then checked, because yourbags will go onto Orlando and
(30:51):
then you'll be in Charlotte andyou don't have your bag.
So that's definitely a majorproblem with that scenario.
But if you do just have abackpack and whatever.
You probably can get away withit with just getting off and
doing that.
But so I thought that skiplagging was such an interesting
concept.
Um, and you would never want todo it on a round trip ticket
(31:12):
either, because once you don'tget off, once you don't get on,
the rest of your ticket iscanceled.
All of the rest of them arecanceled.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So it's a very risky concept, it's a good thing to
bring to light, and I think weshould be asking the question
why is it cheaper for me to booka flight from, say, New York to
Orlando and get off inCharlotte instead of booking
directly to Charlotte?
Like I'd be curious to know.
It's all like supply and demand.
There's more.
There's like more for directflight to show?
(31:42):
Okay, yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
In Charlotte.
Unfortunately, where we live,Charlotte's one of the most
expensive airports to fly intoor fly out of.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
It kind of sucks.
It does.
I will tend.
I have looked because we're notfar from the Greensboro Raleigh
area.
I will look up there for theRaleigh airport.
I will look down in SouthCarolina.
They're smaller airports but ifI sometimes it's worth the
drive, it may be worth the driveto the hour two hour drives to
(32:10):
save 200 bucks Maybe I don'tknow, but I do look at the
surrounding airports.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
I agree, so.
So, while skip lagging is areal thing and it is, it can
save you some money it there's alot of risk involved with it.
Uh, would you do?
Have you ever done anythinglike that, Would you?
Speaker 2 (32:29):
know Good Lord.
No, first of all, all I'mterrified.
I am so afraid of airports likeI'm gonna get in trouble.
I don't do anything wrong, butI swear I'm walking around like
I'm gonna get in trouble all thetime.
So there's no way that I'm now.
I have missed flights,especially when I was a younger
traveler in my like early 20s,because I just poor time
(32:51):
management, where I haveactually had to leave the
airport because I can't get outtill the next day and to because
I'm thinking how can, if you'remissing that connecting flight
or you're just stuck in yourlayover?
Maybe you missed your flight,maybe, whatever the case may be,
like they would have to, reallyyeah.
Speaker 1 (33:11):
Well, and if you get ill like if I'm on my way to
Orlando and I get violently illor food poisoning and I cannot
physically be on the flight,then you have to get off at
Charlotte Like if that's whathappened.
There's going to becircumstances where you don't
end up in your final destinationand I get that.
I'm just saying this hidden,hidden city.
(33:32):
This is a thing that people do.
This is almost like athrill-seeking thing.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Or I guess, I just know.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
I'm too pansy.
I stay in my lane.
Listen, I'm a rule follower.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
I would have to prepare to not check luggage,
and that in itself is a dealbreaker.
That's just too much work.
I would be so nervous exitingthe airport, thinking they're
going to be like get back here,you have one more flight to go.
Like it would stress me out toomuch.
Speaker 1 (34:03):
I don't think I could do it intentionally.
Yeah, I'm not.
I'm not going to be skipflagging, but it is a real thing
and it people do it.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Let us know if you or listeners or you or someone you
know has done this, where theywill schedule a longer flight
and just get off in the layoverbecause it was cheaper.
I mean, you can do itanonymously too, we won't rat
you out, but I'm just curiouslike the balls it takes to do
that, because I would be soscared.
I agree.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
The one thing that I have been tempted to want to do,
that Cause I'm I would be soscared, I agree.
The one thing that I have beentempted to want to do is, if you
find in a middle city that thelayover is long enough, like if
it's a 12 hour or 18 hourlayover if you leave the airport
and then go venture out to thatcity, I'd still don't think I
would be brave enough to do that?
Speaker 2 (34:53):
I would absolutely do that If I had like a 12 hour
layover, or if I if I was goingto a city, cause you know, I
have my map and I love to put mypin the cities I've been to.
So if my layover was in a cityI've never been and there's
something I can go explore and Icould schedule like a 12 hour
layover, I probably would, justso I could go explore and be
(35:14):
able to.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
Yeah, that seems tempting as long as I'm not
alone.
I would have to be with you orsomebody.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
I mean, I couldn't go far for a 12 hour layover.
The furthest I would go wouldbe two hours out from the
airport, because I would be ableto get back.
I wouldn't even go that far.
I would do a two hour radius,that's.
That's about as far as I wouldgo.
Wow, you're so brave.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Cheryl.
Well, yeah, so we're justtelling you guys, these are some
of the scams.
The other thing that I know wedidn't mention and we actually
fell well, I won't say fellvictim to, but the other big one
is if your taxi does not have ameter, and in general, just
know what you're doing withtaxis In general just take an
(35:57):
Uber and I'm I listen, I'm nottrying to Twice.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
I would say I don't know that we got scammed.
I think we just got screwedover because we weren't
knowledgeable.
But twice, once in New York andonce in Orlando.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Right.
So what I will say is if you'renot familiar with where you're
going which we were not they cantake a very long way around, so
you have to pay more money Ifthe meter's not working at all.
What I would say is make surewhen you get into that taxi how
much we're going from here toOrlando or the Disney or
(36:31):
whatever.
They should give you an upfrontcost.
They should say it's going tobe around a hundred dollars or
it's going to be for that's whathappened in, or I don't.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
I think it was in orlando.
We walked out and we weredebating uber or taxis and there
was a line of taxis and we hada lot of luggage.
So we're like let's take thisvan Uber I mean this van taxi
and it said flat rate from hereto the area the general area we
were going was not that it waslike a $50 flat rate or whatever
(37:02):
.
That Uber or that taxi ridealmost cost us $150.
I know.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
It was nothing like what they said, so you just have
to be mindful.
Yeah, and I would always.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Uber's more upfront.
Personally, I would always domore up front with their.
Personally, I would always douber or lyft now, because we got
so screwed over by that taxi,because and you can visually see
like their estimated cost andthat is that was much more
reliable so far everywhere we'vebeen, because we both times
times in New York and in Orlando, when we went back to wherever
(37:35):
we went, we did Uber instead ofthe taxi and it was cheaper and
it was more clear on their costsand what we could expect and it
was accurate, like what theyproposed was very, very close to
what we actually ended uppaying, right.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
Yeah, and it's all transactional on your phone.
You're paying through yourphone.
That's the other thing they say.
Don't if especially if you'rein foreign countries don't pay,
don't pay with cash, try toavoid.
Because I guess this onescammer was like they had all
these hundred dollar bills andthe taxi driver was like this is
counterfeit.
And he took it.
(38:10):
So he and he's given it back,but he's really exchanging out
your real money for hiscounterfeit and saying your
money's counterfeit.
And so he said he lost out on$500 because the guy kept saying
he's like.
I thought it was odd that hekept looking at it and then
saying it was fake and giving itback to me and he's like, by
the like, the fifth time Inoticed that it didn't.
(38:31):
My money was crisp and new andthe money he was giving me back
did not look like that.
So I he's like.
I exited the, but he lost $500before he realized what was
happening.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Yeah, but one.
Why are you traveling with ahundred dollars bills Like
something you would be surprisedhow much?
Speaker 1 (38:49):
people travel with cat.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
lots of cash on you much people travel with lots of
cash on you, so not only $20 ismostly what I have like the
highest bill.
And then I have them, all mymoney broken up in different
spots, even in my purse, mywallet, my on my in my pocket
spending and what I'm wearing,all of my cash is not all in one
spot, it's all that's smart.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
It's all over my body .
Speaker 2 (39:12):
It's all over my body .
It's all over my body.
It's in my bra.
It's like I'm not getting stuckwhen I used to carry cash.
Now I don't ever have cash andI and they also say be careful
in foreign countries.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Don't you know how the they have the currency
changers.
They said make sure they're,they say, really mindful.
Make sure you're going tosomething that you know that
it's a currency changer, causethey even have fake ones just
that are given out the wrongtype of currency.
Like, let's say, you're inNetherlands and some of those
(39:45):
machines will give out you likeRussian currency.
And so that's like you'reputting in your money and
thinking you're getting itchanged out, and it's not even
the type of money that you canuse in that country.
So that's another one that youneed to be mindful of.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Have you ever had to do a currency exchange before?
Speaker 1 (40:01):
I have not.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
So one of the things I didn't know whatever you pay
for in, like if you're paying inUS dollars or you're paying in
the current currency, if you'renot aware of the currency
exchange rate, make sure you getyour change back and what you
paid in, because you could belosing out with that exchange
rate.
Right, I was looking into thiswhen I was helping a study
(40:25):
abroad student when they weretraveling, because it was
something we had to dig intowith the currency exchange rate,
and I was like and I read thatthat's what they recommended,
because if you're paying in USdollars and you take their money
back, you actually might belosing money because when you go
(40:46):
to exchange it before you peaceout, you're not getting the
equivalent of what you should.
Yep.
So I would never have thought ofthat.
Speaker 1 (40:54):
There are a lot of tricky things out there, people.
We hope that we've pointed outsome of the just the type of
scams that are going on.
So just be mindful when you'reout and about and traveling.
Um, just keep your wits aboutyou and, um, like, our biggest
takeaway is if it seems too goodto be true, it probably is.
Speaker 2 (41:17):
Let us know if you have experienced any of the
scams we mentioned, or if weforgot to mention something that
you know about, because we, ifthere's something we didn't give
like give a warning about, butyou know it's happened to you or
you're like this is out there,I've heard of this.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
Then let us know that too.
We always want to be the mostadvised and give the best
information.
Yeah, so I think that's goingto do it for us today.
Guys, be safe out there.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Have fun you.
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