Traveling can be fun and a great getaway from the normal stresses of life. But since traveling can also be very expensive, many people look for travel deals and discounts to make it more affordable.

The problem is some of these discounts and offers are bogus and can end up causing major disappointment and serious cash.

This article will let you in on some of the on-going scams and how to avoid them, saving you money and your sanity.

1. Vacation Clubs – These clubs offer membership in return of buying vacations at cheaper prices. The problem is that some of the travel packages may not really be discounted. You can perhaps make comparisons of other travel packages from other places but the details tend to get in the way as they can be complicated and may vary so much that it’s hard to compare. Also, membership fees for some vacation clubs are through the roof. It makes no sense to pay outrageous fees if you are not even getting a real discount in your travels in the first place. If you are planning to sign up with a vacation club then do so with one that charges moderate prices and that services your social needs.

2. Become a Travel Agent – Some people are fooled by the “become a travel agent and get travel discounts and freebies” scam. They make you pay a fee and then you get the title of travel agent. Of course you know that travel agents can get deals on vacations and traveling but that applies to ones that are employed to a legitimate travel agency and persons in associations such as the Cruise Line Association. Another thing to keep in mind is that travel perks for travel agents aren’t as grand as they once were anyway so if you see anything resembling this make a b-line and don’t look back. I guarantee you that this is a scam.

3. Low Prices – Prices offered may look good but the truth is that there are hidden costs and fees that you may not even know about. As a result the cost gets higher and chances are you’ve already locked yourself into making the purchase. Ensure to read the fine print and find out all the costs linked to the vacation before you decide to pay.

4. Free Trips – You have to ask the question, ‘Why would I be getting a 100% free trip and I didn’t even enter a contest or go on a game show?” If you are offered a free cruise for instance, then chances are you will have to pay your way to get to the cruise ship which may be across the country, then you end up paying the cost of the room they assign to you, the food and drinks, gratuity and entertainment fees. As a result, the cruise ticket was free but with all the other expenses you’ve racked up, you may have spent more than a person that didn’t win a free trip.

There are a lot of scams in the travel industry but with proper precautions, you won’t fall prey to their tactics. You have to be skeptical when something seems too good to be true.

There are places you can check out in order to investigate claims made by these scam artists such as American Association of Travel Agents or Cruise Lines International Association.

Also, keep an eye out for the Better Business Bureau Certification on internet travel businesses as good-standing businesses care about their reputation and this seal of approval assures their customers that they are indeed legitimate. In addition, customer reviews will tell you a lot about the operations.

Do they seem too good to be true or do they entail bad occurrences as well?