A recent AARP survey estimated that 32 million Americans believed they had been the victim of a major fraud in the past year-that's one in six consumers. As technology has become a part of everyday life, resourceful scam artists are finding more ways to target victims, including travel scams.

 "Beware of travel offers that are big on pictures and promises of great deals, but are skimpy on details," warned Janice Webb of Emerald City Travel . "This is a red flag to alert you of a possible scam. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

 Typically, scam operators won't include the complete details of their offer until their victim has paid for the trip. Once they've received the information, the consumer learns there are restrictions and conditions that make it more costly or even impossible to take the trip. This is often the case with vacation packages advertised as "free" or "discounted." Many consumers discover their trip doesn't include food, taxes, surcharges or deposits when it's too late and they are hit with additional--and often excessive--charges.

The best protection against scams is to use a professional travel agent, like Emerald City Travel, which is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). ASTA members are required to adhere to a strict code of ethics are required to respond to a consumer complaint filed against them with ASTA at the risk of expulsion.

Being an educated consumer is the best way travelers can arm themselves against swindlers. Emerald City Travel offers the following recommendations to help its clients avoid the hassle and heartache of travel scams:

• Be very skeptical about postcard, fax and phone solicitations which say you've been selected to receive a fabulous vacation but which provide few details about the trip.
  
• Never give your credit card number to a company unless you have used it in the past and are confident about its legitimacy. Be sure you have received complete information in writing before giving any form of payment. These details should clearly indicate total price, cancellation and change penalties and information on all components of the offer.
  
• Understand that calling 900-numbers is often costly and risky.
  
• Companies offering to make people instant travel agents are extremely suspect. While they promise industry discounts, only suppliers such as airlines, car rental companies, hotels or cruises have the authority to offer travel agent discounts.
  
• Prepay timeshares, campgrounds or travel clubs are risky investments. Membership and maintenance fees can increase, or the company could go bankrupt before you have a chance to take advantage of your vacation offer. Timeshares are difficult to resell and rarely appreciate in value.
  
• Don't be pressured into accepting limited-time offers from pushy salespeople--choosing a vacation is a big decision and legitimate deals won't expire after a night's sleep. When in doubt, always say no.
  
• Avoid telemarketers. They have no further responsibility to consumers after the sale has been finalized.  Therefore, never give your credit card number or bank information over the phone, not even for so-called verification purposes. According to a recent study by Congress, Americans lose $40 billion annually to fraudulent telephone sales.

 For more information contact the professional travel consultants at Emerald City Travel 413.737.4361.