Yep, as the world has reopened, so have scammers. The past 18 months have seen a fresh burst of people taking cruises. Cruising has exploded as vacationers are ready to travel after a dreadful two-year quarantine due to Covid. This is all good news, of course, well almost. Along with this new enthusiasm to book a cruise comes a “Caution Scam ahead.”
We caution you of four potential scams that seem authentic, reliable, and promoted by cruise lines. Buyer Beware…
SCAM ONE
“Take a survey for a free cruise in the future!”
These are the most common potential scams targeting new and avid cruisers. When getting off a cruise, we usually receive a text or email requesting insight into our experience on the cruise we just took. “Normally,” these are from legitimate cruise companies trying to obtain your personal experience over the cruise you just had. NOTE: These are common and harmless and help to cruise companies wishing to enhance their efforts in improving customer experiences while sailing with them. It is usually short, painless, and quick to reply to.
However, scammers are also aware of these harmless contacts by cruise lines. So, they have adopted this method of communication as well to obtain your opinion offering you a reward for taking their survey. This is a red flag; as the carrot is dangling, they seek to take advantage of legitimate cruise lines by posing as an official offer for a free cruise, free onboard credit, or even free excursions on your next cruise vacation. Warning – up sale ahead.
PLEASE NOTE – if you are pinged with a unique offer for taking a survey, then asked to speak with a customer representative to receive your voucher or prize and asked for a specific form of payment such as debit card or cash options…WARNING – run…run…run or hang up. (Normally, scammers will not accept credit cards because card companies verify the sale and will delay payment.)
Things to note – never give personal or financial information when asked to take a survey – the cruise line already has this information and would not ask for it again during a survey session. If you use a travel agent – alert them of contact you have received from so-called cruise lines. They can help ensure it is authentic and from a legitimate cruise line.
SCAM TWO
Fake Cruise Line Profiles on FB, Instagram, Twitter, ext.…
Yep, this is another way to capture do-it-yourself travelers. Using pop-ups for personal information or subscriptions while showing “too good to be true offers.” Things like raffles, limited time offers, and high discounts if you book now! CAUTION – if it sounds too good to be true…it probably is. These sites look authentic and realistic (Sometimes better than the real deal.)
Some ways to verify the website is authentic– Look at the subscribers; follower counts should be extremely high in the 100ks. Also, check if they have the blue “check” tick for profile authenticity. Also, there should be a considerable number of posts. Never fill out a website form with any financial information. Again, scammers do not like credit cards, so should they request a different payment option is usually a red flag. Be very careful – verify the website or social media account – do not give payment information – watch out for deals that seem too good to be true (Note: many times, they attempt to up sale you or add additional charges for things like tax or port dues…ext.) Again, working through a legitimate travel agent to handle travel needs is best. They do not cost you anything extra as authorized travel partners with cruise lines. No additional cost and personalized services – a win–win.
SCAM THREE
Online personalities – vloggers, bloggers, cruise line employees, high online profile sensations.
Millions of people watch Social Media personalities daily. Whether consumer advocates, professional travelers, or someone who works for a cruise line, they are popular and seen as experts or reliable sources for information on various topics. They can also be easily cloned!
Scammers are quickly and easily about to clone social media personalities with little effort and knowledge of the person being cloned. So, again use good sense to ensure you don’t become a victim of fake sales and offers. Here are a few that are seen frequently:
- High-ranked employees for a specific cruise line who offer to help you find or provide access to job opportunities with the cruise line. No, no, no…this is not how it works. They cannot outrank HR procedures or personally link you to a quick and easy application process. Not happening – they cannot offer jobs to individuals without going through the standard company procedures. DON’T FALL FOR THIS. If you wish to apply for a position with a cruise line, do so on their jobs or positions page on their website.
- Thrills and deals – we all know that social media personalities advertise different products and services through sponsors. However, when you click on a link or phone number, ensure it is authentic and the legitimate company you wish to enquire about. Again, as Scams One and Two mentioned, do your diligence to ensure you speak or connect with the referenced company. If they request money for an exclusive cruise vacation or other offered trips…buyer beware. Most personalities don’t handle this on their own. Always take time to verify…always.
Social media personalities have a limited ability to keep from being cloned. For example – one cruise director for Carnival can have up to seven clone websites, FB, or Instagram accounts. None of which are his. So be very careful when seeing deals or giveaways that look too good. Note – any deals these personalities may be offering would also be available to your personal travel agent. So, if you see a discount or special rate, contact your travel agent with details and let them review it.
Thanks for reading this as we try to inform you of active scams. Should you need a professional travel concierge, please consider ODAAT as your personal travel assistant. We aim to provide the best service and deals in the industry…so contact us.
Safe travels,