COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The summer season is a busy time for travel and for scammers.

“Travel scams account for about $150,000 of reported loses to BBB in the last year,” said Lee Anne Lanigan with the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio. 

Better Call 4 spoke with Lanigan in the spring about travel scams, including fake, third-party booking sites and “too good to be true” deals — tactics that target consumers before they travel.

But the bad guys are also using techniques to target hotel guests, like fake front desk calls.

How it works

The scammer calls up a hotel and asks the real front desk to transfer them to a specific room. Then, when the guest answers, the scammer impersonates the front desk, claiming there’s a problem with the credit card on file and they need to re-verify payment information. As not to inconvenience you, they offer to take it over the phone. Before you know it, you’re a victim.

To help you sleep easier during your next stay, a real hotel staff member would never ask for your credit card information over the phone, according to the BBB. They will always ask to settle any charges at the front desk.

If you get a call like this and are unsure if it’s valid, hang up, then call the front desk yourself and ask if they really do have a problem with your card. Be sure that you always notify hotel management of any calls like this.