Labor Day Holiday Travel Scams Rise Across Georgia And The Us, Targeting Vacationers With Too-good-to-be-true Deals, What You Need To Know This Year

Published on August 30, 2025

Labor Day Holiday Travel Scams Rise Across Georgia and nan US, Targeting Vacationers With Too-Good-to-Be-True Deals. This agelong play brings excitement, last-minute trips, and family getaways, but it besides fuels a crisp emergence successful holiday recreation scams. In Georgia and crossed nan US, scammers are targeting vacationers pinch clone rentals, phishing emails, and shady websites that dangle too-good-to-be-true deals. As summertime shifts to fall, galore travelers unreserved to book inexpensive flights, luxury stays, aliases discounted car rentals, creating nan cleanable opening for fraud. Victims often salary upfront only to observe nan preservation ne'er existed. By utilizing trusted platforms and safe costs methods, vacationers tin little their risks. This Labor Day, nan smartest move is to retrieve that the champion woody is nan 1 that is real, not nan 1 meant to steal.

Scam Season Ramps Up Around Labor Day

BBB warns that Labor Day play is premier clip for recreation scams. As travelers make last‑minute plans, scammers onslaught pinch clone picnic rentals, bogus edifice aliases car deals, phishing emails, and flashy social‑media ads that look excessively bully to beryllium true.

A section outlet, 23ABC, shows really picnic rentals get hijacked: scammers dress to beryllium hosts and inquire for off‑platform payments done apps for illustration Venmo aliases CashApp. They nonstop a clone receipt, vanish, and you get nary spot and nary refund.

Travel Scams connected nan Rise All Year Long

The problem isn’t conscionable Labor Day. Booking.com information shows a jaw‑dropping 500–900 percent summation successful recreation scams complete nan past year, galore powered by AI‑driven phishing aliases impersonations.

Globally, BBB’s Scam Tracker logged hundreds of cases involving fraudulent booking sites, recreation agents, timeshare resale firms, and clone visa services—with destinations for illustration Cancun, Bangkok, Delhi, and Barcelona particularly astatine risk.

The Scams You Need to Know About

Fake Vacation Rentals

Scammers database stolen aliases fictional properties connected existent platforms. They push you to salary off‑platform—and you extremity up pinch nothing.

Timeshare Resale Scams

Impersonators committedness to thief you waste your timeshare—ask for fees upfront and disappear, leaving you empty‑handed.

Flight and Travel Agent Frauds

Fake hose confirmations, bogus tickets, and impersonated recreation agents are apical frauds. From April 2024 to April 2025, U.S. travelers revenge complete 1,500 related reports, losing immoderate $2.6 million.

AI-Powered Phishing

Bogus emails mimic booking platforms pinch alarming urgency. In Australia, Booking.com warned of a 900 percent emergence successful AI‑powered phishing attempts. These scope inboxes pinch uncanny realism, urging you to enactment fast.

Social Media and Fake Deals

You mightiness spot an astonishing woody for a edifice aliases cruise. These often lead to phishing forms aliases unit to salary excessively early.

Real Cases from nan Field

BBB Scam Tracker shared caller instances—including:

• A clone MSC Cruises booking costing a unfortunate $300
• A bogus Fort Worth recreation show offering “free” cruises but nary payoff
• A timeshare “exit service” costing a mates thousands earlier disappearing

These aren’t conscionable numbers—they’re stories of group caught successful nan unreserved to prevention money aliases clasp freedom. It tin hap to anyone.

How to Stay Safe – Smart and Simple

1. Book Only Through Verified Platforms

Stick to morganatic platforms for illustration Airbnb aliases VRBO. Never return booking off‑site—even if personification insists connected a discount.

2. Protect Your Personal Info

Double‑check URLs—look for https:// and nan correct domain. If nan tract looks overseas aliases nan grammar is off, backmost away.

3. Use Credit Cards

Credit cards connection amended protection for disputes. Avoid payments done Venmo, ligament transfers, rate apps, aliases crypto—they’re difficult to recover.

4. Slow Down!

Scammers count connected urgency. Pause erstwhile you brushwood “limited time” aliases “act now” offers. Always inquire for archiving and confirmation.

5. Verify Through Official Channels

Need to corroborate a reservation? Contact nan institution straight utilizing info from their charismatic website—not a nexus fixed by personification who reached retired unsolicited.

6. Report It

If thing feels off—or you fishy a scam—file a title pinch BBB Scam Tracker and FTC’s fraud reporting site.

A Last-Minute Reminder

I’ve told you really nan unreserved of summertime deals tin unfastened you up to scams. But you don’t beryllium anyone a accelerated decision—or a risky payment. Your safety, and your money, matter. Take a breath, verify, usage smart costs methods, and recreation pinch bid of mind. Wishing you safe adventures ahead—even arsenic summertime fades.