Crime & Safety

Consumer Handbook

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Consumer Handbook: Hotel Scams

KRCU Public Radio | By Whitney Quick

Published December 30, 2020 at 3:34 PM CST

Planning to stay in a hotel soon? Be aware. Scammers are always trying to get a hold of your credit card information. Tourists and business travelers are often considered the easiest targets.

Hotels provide scammers an easy path towards their goal of trying to separate a traveler from their cash.

Here are 5 very common hotel scams to be aware of:

Fake Websites. When making online hotel reservations, know the website you’re using. Scammers are famous for creating look-alike web pages to lure consumers into providing credit card information. The American Hotel and Lodging Association is a BBB National Partner. They provided us with some tips to follow before booking a hotel room.
Fake Food Delivery. Make sure the menus left in your hotel room are authentic. Dining-in can feel like a tempting option, especially after a day of traveling or exploration, but you could end up ordering from a restaurant that doesn’t even exist. Scammers will distribute fake menus to rooms with phone numbers that connect the caller to them instead of the hotel or a real business. They’ll collect the caller’s credit card information over the phone, then never deliver food. Before you decide to order somewhere, do some research and make sure the business exists. If you’re still questioning your options, ask the front desk for restaurant recommendations.
Fake Front Desk Calls. Hotel guests may receive a late-night phone call from someone impersonating the front desk. The caller asks for credit card information claiming there’s a problem with the credit card on file - they may say it was declined and they need to re-verify payment information, or that they lost all financial information and need to run an audit by a certain time. The scammer will offer to take your credit card information over the phone, so that you’re not inconvenienced. However, a real hotel staff member will never ask for your credit card information over the phone. They will always ask you to settle up any charges at the front desk. Always notify the hotel of any calls of this nature.