Summer vacation season is upon us once again, and the last thing you need to have happen to you is to fall victim to a vacation scam.

Vacation scams are quite common, and the Better Business Bureau has begun to alert South Dakota vacationers to the warning signs of potential vacation scams.

Dakota News Now reports that the BBB is encouraging South Dakota travelers to take extra caution when booking their summer vacation online.

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Watch out for third-party booking sites!

It's possible to get routed to one while using a legitimate travel site to book a hotel or flight.

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Jessie Schmidt, the Vice President of the South Dakota Better Business Bureautold Dakota News Now, “You get on a travel site or a hotel site and you click on something, and then it takes you to a site you did not want to be on. We have had that happen to us as well. You end up paying more at that site than you would have directly.”

It's best to use a trusted site like Airbnb or VRBO.

If you're attempting to book a property that is not an Airbnb or VRBO, it's highly recommended that you contact the property manager to ensure it's legitimate.

There's a lot of vacation rental fraud out there, so be careful!

Be advised. According to the BBB, if you're asked to wire money or use a prepaid debit card to secure a vacation rental, it's probably a scam.

Remember, once you send the money, you won't be able to get it back.

Schmidt told Dakota News Now, "Nontraditional means would be a reason that you would want to be very, very cautious and perhaps find a different way and book a vacation.”

The BBB recommends that vacationers use a travel agent whenever possible to book their summer vacations. It helps to provide peace of mind.

Above all, do your research and look at reviews before booking.

Get more information on vacation travel scams here.

Source: Dakota News Now

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