Filed under: Travel, Ripoffs & Scams, Saving
By Bob SullivanWhen you check into a hotel, don't set let scam artists or misbehaving companies check into your wallet.
There are ripoffs, and there are sneaky fees, but to your wallet, they are the same thing. Together, I call them all "gotchas."
The Federal Trade Commission just published a list of three identity theft-related scams. With some scams, the goal is to get a hold of your credit card number for fraud. You should monitor your bank accounts regularly so you can react early if you become a victim. Also, you may want to consider monitoring your credit score and credit reports for signs of fraud. You can check two of your credit scores for free every month on Credit.com and you can get your credit reports for free once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com.
The New York University Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management says hotels collected a record $2.1 billion in fees last year, up from $1.2 billion a decade ago. No reason to believe this year won't be a record, too.