1. “In tough times we have to discount — creatively.”

For the hotel industry, 2009 was the worst year since the Great Depression, and last year was only slightly better. At its low, the average daily room rate was $97, down from $107 in 2008, and occupancy rates fell below 55 percent. “This recession has been so traumatic across the board for all types of hotels,” says Robert Mandelbaum, research director at Colliers PKF Hospitality Research. In turn, hotels have slashed staff and cut corners. Michael Aschoff, a retired compliance officer from Tampa, Fla., stays in hotels 30 to 50 nights a year and has noticed they’ve stopped replacing soap and providing body wash and mouthwash. “They have really cut back on little amenities,” he says.

But hotels are holding the line on rates, says Travis Rank, director of worldwide sales at Best Western International. Instead, some hotels offer free parking, gift cards or other perks, like a free extra night for customers who book a certain number of nights in a row. Check hotel websites to find these deals — which are likely to be available until 2012, when the industry is expected to recover.

2. “Book with us to get an upgrade.”

When you book your room through a third-party site like Expedia (Nasdaq: EXPE – News) or Travelocity, the hotel typically pays a commission — up to 30 percent. Through their own sites, hotels will usually match the best rates and may offer specials, and many will let you change your reservation without penalty if you’ve cut out the middleman.

What’s more, book directly with the hotel and your “chances of getting an upgrade are vastly improved,” says Rank. Hotels also like to save perks for their loyalty-program members. Chris Jones, the general manager of Hotel Indigo in San Diego, says he gives upgrades to about 35 percent of customers, with priority going to loyalty-card holders. “The hospitality industry is all about relationships,” says Fredrik Korallus, executive vice president for global revenue generation at Carlson Hotels. “If you want something, it never hurts to ask.”

3. “We can be sneaky about our best deals.”

Since most hotels are franchises, individual owners offer the best deals. They’re promoted online, via e-mail newsletters and, more recently, through social networking sites like Facebook and Foursquare. Hotel Indigo had 500 followers on Twitter before it even opened, and Jones says last fall he offered $185 rooms to followers for $99 — and booked 45 rooms in two hours. Robert A. Rauch, a managing partner at a San Diego Hilton, says he offers time-sensitive deals and restaurant or spa specials online. Hotels also offer discounts through partners like Visa (NYSE: V – News) or American Express (NYSE: AXP – News), but since hotels aren’t always enthusiastic about those, “sometimes it takes some effort” to find them, says Matthew Stone, a professor of travel and tourism at Prince George’s Community College in Washington, D.C.

4. “Your room won’t really look like this.”

There are plenty of places to find reviews of hotels, from newspapers and magazines to websites with traveler reviews. But when you want to see what the room or the pool looks like, you often have to trust the hotel — which may not be trustworthy, says Eli Seidman, founder of travel site Oyster.com. There, Seidman posts a hotel’s image next to one taken by his own photographers to show readers how deceiving hotel marketing can be. “It’s pretty bad, in varying degrees, across the whole industry,” says Seidman. And when it comes to the description of the room, “the square footage is complete nonsense,” he says.

Most hotels are not out to actively deceive customers. “We want to ensure that the images are accurate,” says Jeff Wagoner, president of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. But, he adds, “we have no specific written guidelines.”

5. “Kiss your credit card data goodbye.”

Hotels have become a favorite target for credit card data thieves. According to digital-security firm Trustwave, 38 percent of the credit card hacking cases it worked on in 2009 were in the hospitality industry — far more than any other industry the company works with. Hackers (usually organized crime outfits) access a hotel’s network by guessing the administrator password, then place malware on the network, which then transmits guest’s card numbers back to them. They can also steal other info about you — home address, phone number, license plate number — to aid in identity theft. Nicholas J. Percoco, director of Spider Labs, a unit of Trustwave, says he had his own card data stolen and used just minutes after he checked into a hotel last year. “It can happen really quickly,” he says.

“This has become a priority in the industry,” says Wagoner. “We are putting a lot of effort and energy toward data security.” His company, like others, has basic requirements in place that franchisees are expected to follow. Visa has also worked with the industry to improve its data security. And things are getting better: Percoco says the hospitality industry fell to become the second most targeted industry in 2010.

6. “We need locals as much as travelers.”

With fewer people traveling, hotels that have bars, restaurants, spas and golf courses have been forced to look closer to home for help making up lost revenue. At the San Diego Hilton, Rauch says, 60 percent of the revenue from the spa and 70 percent from the bar come from locals. “Hotels need to learn to become the hub of the community,” he says. Korallus says the majority of customers at the FireLake restaurant in the Minneapolis Radisson are locals, and Carlson Hotels is launching two new restaurants designed to attract more local business. Wyndham hotels that usually cater to business travelers have likewise sought to lure locals by offering discounted weekend rates. Indeed, much of the industry has worked to boost revenue this way, says Mandelbaum. And while it has helped, it has not made up for all the lost room revenue in the short term.

7. “We’ll happily waive that fee.”

These days airlines have found a way to charge for just about everything, but it’s a different story for hotels, which have been losing revenue from once reliable sources. At one time, people paid exorbitant fees to use the room phone; now everyone has a cell phone. Revenue from pay-per-view movies is down significantly now that people bring movies with them on their laptops. Looking to add revenue, hotels have upped staples like parking charges (up to $40 a day) and the mysterious “resort fee” that some vacationers have seen tacked on to their bills (as much as $30). “Hotels are desperate to leverage up these fees,” says Rauch.

The good news: Hotels are pretty open to negotiating or even waiving some of these fees, says Stone. Unlike the airlines, where just a few companies control the industry, the hotel business is made up of more individual owners who are desperate for loyal customers and who are competing against other hotels that may not charge these fees. Bottom line: If you don’t like a fee, ask about it.

8. “We can’t do much about bedbugs.”

Hotels are a perfect environment for bedbugs — lots of turnover and lots of beds. And it has become a big issue for the industry. According to the National Pest Management Association, 67 percent of the pest-control companies it surveyed have received calls to treat hotels and motels. Unfortunately, there’s really nothing hotels can do to prevent travelers from bringing them in, since bedbugs are tiny and can hitch a ride on clothes or luggage. “The key is to find it and treat it as quickly as possible,” Jones says.

Travelers can use BedBugRegistry.com or the iPhone app Bed Bug Alert to search for infested hotels but should take these sources with a grain of salt — the cases haven’t been verified and, even if true, may have been treated already. Your best bet: On arrival, check the corners of the mattress for bedbugs or the telltale brown spots they leave.

9. “We obsess over online comments.”

Traveler-review sites have become a powerful force in the hotel industry. Too many bad reviews and business may start to slide — a fact those in the industry know all too well. “We highly recommend that hotel managers keep up with what is being said about them online, and not only respond but rectify any issue the customer might have had,” says Wyndham’s Wagoner.

For consumers, these reviews are bringing changes for the better. Korallus says some of his hotels have begun opening their gyms an hour earlier, thanks to online comments. And Jones says he brings online comments into staff meetings: “The more feedback, the better.”

10. “You can make a killing on points.”

A few years ago, Dave Weinberg, a Maryland-based consultant who travels a lot for work, became a platinum member of Intercontinental Hotel’s Priority Club Rewards program — without spending much time at the hotel. He signed up for the branded credit card, then benefited from generous point offers. “All hotels are trying to lure in travelers with extra point offers,” he says.

“This is the longest period of sustained hotel promotions we’ve ever seen,” says Tim Winship, publisher of FrequentFlier.com. Hotels are offering double and triple points to those who stay with them. As hotel points rack up, Winship says, travelers might think about swapping hotel points for airline miles, since airlines are raising prices while hotel rates are likely to remain low in many markets. “The way things are going, airline miles have more real value,” Winship says.

Mistake 1: Did not contact the Insurer during an emergency

Let’s face it, we all panic during an emergency. That’s why it’s called an emergency, a state for us to justify our panic-driven behavior. And it is during such a time that a calm and collected mind would provide the best solution to get us out of the emergency, with the most minimal damage or loss.

And so it is when you are traveling out there in a foreign land. Mistake number one is of course, not having any proper travel insurance coverage. I’m not saying you should pay through your nose for travel insurance, but unlike traveling domestically, getting stranded in an emergency while traveling overseas can really complicate things. So getting some basic coverage can at least minimize the psychological burden, while it buys you some time to analyze the situation.

However, one of the most common mistake for people who are covered with travel insurance is that they often did not notify their insurer immediately. They do not realize that the travel insurance also comes with advice on how to get the most effective treatment or solution for their emergency. Also, by contacting the Travel Insurer immediately, you can also get the necessary information on what paperwork you must obtain from the relevant authorities to ensure a speedy claim when you are back to your home country. Most people just assume that by filling up a claim form provided by the Travel Insurer, they will get their reimbursement. This is definitely not the case- all claims must be backed by authentic and relevant documents.

Yes, it’s also true that the travel insurance do not cover every emergencies, but one should utilize the facility provided by the Travel Insurer where you can ask for the best course of action.

Mistake 2: Did not submit original documents when making a claim

Most if not all Travel Insurer only accepts original receipts for claim submission. Yes, if you have lost your original receipts, you will have some problem verifying the authenticity of your claim. The alternative is to probably request for a copy of receipt from the relevant party and have them verified by either the party involved. Some Travel Insurer might also allow you to use your original credit card statement, verified by the card issuing bank.

However, by not providing the original bills or receipts for the payments you have made, you are just putting yourself in between a rock and a hard place. Don’t take it as an insult on your character when the Travel Insurer says that they will not reimburse you until you show up with the original documents. No one is saying your dishonest, it’s just that, to proceed with the claim, photocopy of your payment documents are not going to make it through the Claims Department, period.

There is a reason why Travel Insurers insist on original documents, in fact, it is the practice of all Insurer that all monetary claims that is to be reimbursed to the policyholder must be furnished with original and authentic payment receipts. This is to ensure that policyholders do not claim the bills from other Insurers and try to profit from the claim.

So, no matter what policy is being practiced by the country you have traveled to, you must insist on the original copy of all the payments you have made. Do not settle for photocopy or carbon-copy. You have the right to receive original receipts as proof of your payments.

Mistake 3: Did not submit the claim within the stipulated time period

Most people would think that as long as they have the proper documentations in place, they can submit their claim anytime. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to check the details of your travel insurance policy before making any assumptions on the time given for you to submit your claims. A ‘Notice of Claim‘ clause in a standard Travel Insurance policy might look like this:

NOTICE OF CLAIM: Notice of claim must be given to the Company within thirty (30) days after the Date of Loss/Accident. The Policyholder and/or Insured Person hereunder shall produce for the Company’s examination pertinent documents at such reasonable times and shall co-operate with the Company in all matters pertaining to any loss and/or claims. Failure to comply with this condition may prejudice the claim. Notice of claim given by or on behalf of the Policyholder and/or Insured Person to the Company, or to any authorized official of the Company providing information sufficient to identify the Policyholder and/or Insured Person shall be deemed notice to the Company.

In some cases, it might not be feasible to send in or fax a written notification to the Travel Insurer. Hence, it’s a good idea to always keep the Travel Insurer’s 24 hours emergency assistance hotline number and your travel insurance policy number when you are traveling. Check out this link for a list of Malaysia Travel Insurance Provider’s emergency hotline numbers.

For example, let’s say that you’ve lost your passport the moment you’ve arrived in your destination. Under most travel insurance, the loss of travel documents entitles you for a claim. And it would be another 2 months before you are heading back to Malaysia. Under this circumstance, it would be wise for you to call up the Travel Insurer and inform them about the loss and then have them advise you on the steps you need to take to ensure a speedy claim. If you wait till you come back to Malaysia, which is more than 30 days after your loss, you might need to furnish all the reasons of you not being able to notify the company and all the unnecessary ping-pongs with the Travel Insurer’s Claim Department.

So, to make your life easy, always contact your Travel Insurer whenever you have an emergency, regardless of whether you are entitled for a claim or not.

Its secretary-general, Muhammad Shaaini Abdullah, said that these were owners of cars of more than 10 years old which were considered “risky” and insurance companies were reluctant to provide cover for them.

He said that should such vehicles meet with an accident it would cause tremendous problems for the authorities, owners and victims because no claim could be made as there was no insurance coverage.

Director-General of the Road Transport Department Datuk Solah Mat Hassan confirmed that the department had received several complaints from motorists about not being able to obtain insurance coverage for such vehicles although they were roadworthy.

Under the road transport act, he, said, it was mandatory for the motorist to get at least a third party insurance coverage before the department could renew the road tax.

“While we sympathise with the motorists, we cannot do anything but enforce the law if they are found to be without valid road tax,” he added.

He called on the insurance companies to find an amicable solution to the problem.

In response to Bernama’s query via e-mail, General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) executive director C.F. Lim said: “Currently, the motor insurance market is experiencing high loss. As such, many insurers have either declined or are scaling back on underwriting risks, especially third party insurance and insurance for older vehicles.”

However, he said, motorists who found it difficult to get the required insurance could obtain it from the Malaysian Motor Insurance Pool (MMIP) jointly operated by all the 33 general insurance companies in the country.

Lim said the MMIP provided insurance for vehicles which were considered high risk and those unable to obtain from the normal market.

“In other words, the MMIP is the insurer of last resort.”

The MMIP had formed a strategic partnership with Pos Malaysia since July, and motorists could obtain the insurance from the 684 Pos Malaysia branches in the country.

Since Pos Malaysia was also an agent for the Road Transport Department, motorists could also renew their road tax at these outlets which were convenient one-stop centres, he added.

However, Muhammad said, many motorists were reluctant to use the services of the MMIP because the premiums are very high.

He called on Bank Negara, as the agency in charge of insurance, to immediately review the rates and make them affordable. — BERNAMA

Here’s 8 tips from AllBusiness.com which I find really relevant…

One of the most serious threats to the success of a small business is employee theft. Misplaced trust, lax hiring and supervision, and a failure to implement basic financial controls can lead to an environment that is ripe for internal theft and fraud.

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) estimates that the typical business will lose an average of six percent of revenues from employee theft. The ACFE Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse indicates that small businesses suffer disproportionate losses because of the limited resources they have to devote to detecting fraud. And a U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey reported that one-third of business bankruptcies are due to employee theft.

Small business owners can help protect their businesses from employee theft and fraud by following these eight recommendations.

1. Create a positive work environment. A positive work environment encourages employees to follow established policies and procedures, and act in the best interests of the organization. Fair employment practices, written job descriptions, clear organizational structure, comprehensive policies and procedures, open lines of communication between management and employees, and positive employee recognition will all help reduce the likelihood of internal fraud and theft.

2. Implement internal controls. These measures are designed to ensure the effectiveness and efficiencies of operations, compliance with laws and regulations, safeguarding of assets, and accurate financial reporting. The controls for safeguarding assets and financial reporting require policies and procedures addressing:

* Separation of duties. No employee should be responsible for both recording and processing a transaction.
* Access controls. Access to physical and financial assets and information, as well as accounting systems, should be restricted to authorized employees.
* Authorization controls. Develop and implement policies to determine how financial transactions are initiated, authorized, recorded, and reviewed. Internal controls will reduce opportunities for fraud.

3. Hire honest people. Of course, this is the goal of every company, and is easier said than done. But if you have weak (or nonexistent) internal fraud controls, it’s even more important to make sure your employees are honest. Dishonest employees will ignore your attempts to provide a positive work environment, and search for ways to defeat even the most comprehensive internal controls. Learn more about Ethics and People Management.

Preemployment background checks are an excellent way to cut down on hiring dishonest employees. A thorough preemployment background check should include:

* Criminal history for crimes involving violence, theft, and fraud;
* Civil history for lawsuits involving collections, restraining orders, and fraud;
* Driver’s license check for numerous or serious violations;
* Education verification for degrees from accredited institutions;
* Employment verification of positions, length of employment, and reasons for leaving.

4. Educate your employees. You need to inform your employees about your policies and procedures related to fraud, the internal controls in place to prevent fraud, the organization’s code of conduct and ethics policies, and how violations of these policies will be disciplined. Every employee should sign a form to verify receipt of this material. Employees should receive annual training on these topics and on the definition of what’s considered fraudulent behavior, and sign an acknowledgement each time. Read more about Preventing Crime and Violence in the Workplace.

5. Implement an anonymous reporting system. Every organization should provide a confidential reporting system for employees, vendors, and customers to anonymously report any violations of policies and procedures. Promote and encourage the use of the reporting system whenever possible.

6. Perform regular — and irregular — audits. Every company should have regular assessments, but random, unannounced financial audits and fraud assessments can help identify new vulnerabilities, and measure the effectiveness of existing controls. It also lets employees know that fraud prevention is a high priority for the organization.

7. Investigate every incident. A thorough and prompt investigation of policy and procedure violations, allegations of fraud, or warning signs of fraud will give you the facts you need to make informed decisions and reduce losses.

8. Lead by example. Senior management and business owners set the example for the organization’s employees. A cavalier attitude toward rules and regulations by management will soon be reflected in the attitude of employees. Every employee — regardless of position — should be held accountable for their actions.

Implementing these recommendations can dramatically reduce the opportunity for employee theft and protect the assets of your business. If you suspect fraudulent activity by an employee, seek professional assistance to conduct the investigation. Determine what’s necessary to protect your business and prevent a reoccurrence.

— Larry Cook

When getting a standard travel insurance policy in Malaysia for your overseas trip, you might have come across the term “24 hours Worldwide Travel Assistance”. Most people wouldn’t have the slightest idea of what it meant, let alone utilizing the benefit.

Under a typical Travel Assistance programme, you can call up the number listed in your policy and seek their assistance in planning for your trip. Below are a few standard assistance that you can obtain from an Insurer. Do note that this is only a reference, and each Insurers would have different features.

A. Emergency Assistance Services
a) Medical reference to medical service providers;
b) Advance payment or guarantee for payment of Medical Expenses;
c) Emergency Medical Evacuation;
d) Repatriation of Mortal Remains.

B. Technical Services
a) Coordination with relevant parties to recover or locate lost/stolen baggage and personal effects.
b) Coordination with relevant parties to recover, locate and replacement of travel documents.
c) Provision of reference to legal advisors.

C. Pre-Trip General Services
a) Advise on procuring travel documentation.
b) Advise on immunizations, epidemics and available preventive measures.
c) Information on local government offices and political and environmental condition Overseas.
d) Information on currency exchange rate, location of major banks and public holidays.
e) Information on weather condition.

Some of the health and medical plans offered in Malaysia also provides such services and there’s usually a hotline number listed in your policy contract.

You should try out the Travel Assist Programme when preparing for your next oversea trip.

When it comes to setting up a critical illness fund, the number one reason why most people are not covered sufficiently is because of the expensive premium. It’s not just because there’s an increasingly higher chances of us being diagnosed with critical illness, it’s also because most of the critical illness plans in the market is tied with either a whole-life insurance policy or an investment-linked insurance policy. With such a tie-up, you not only get insurance coverage, the policy premium is also participating in the investment activities of the Insurance Company, which means you can expect return in the form of bonuses whenever the Insurance Company declare them. However, this would also meant that you will be paying quite a hefty premium for the coverage as well as for the prospect of earning cash bonuses from the insurance policy.

This has invariably caused many middle and lower income households unable to protect themselves from potential financial disaster should the breadwinner of the family struck with critical illness. Yes, apart from news of being diagnosed with illness, the breadwinner is more worried that the entire household’s savings can easily be wiped out in an instance for his treatment.

However, despite these these doom and gloom, there are still insurance companies that package their critical illness plans without tying it up with a whole-life or an investment-linked policy. Like a personal accident policy that is renewable annually, these critical illness plan are much more affordable and is a good alternative for those who might much idle cash in their pocket after paying for living expenses. A typical term critical illness policy can protect up to RM150,000. The premium of these policies usually increases with age and there will be no cash bonuses declared by the company. Since it’s a term policy, you also do not get any surrender value once you terminate the policy. You can check out these affordable critical illness policy here.

It’s important to note that there are ways that we can reduce our risk of being diagnosed with critical illness. We can control our eating habit and at the same time ensure that we have sufficient exercise. Awareness of the causes of critical illnesses should also be part of the preventive measures. Yet, a prudent risk management strategy is to always be prepared for the worst case scenario. Ensuring that you have a sufficient critical illness policy would be one of the crucial step to protect you and your family against an unpredictable emotional and financial crisis.

This comes at a time when it is not unusual for market chatter to swirl around the fate of its parent company American International Group Inc (AIG).

The US-based parent has been hogging the limelight in recent months, no thanks to the woes surrounding the company as a meltdown in global financial markets dragged the firm into the throes of near-collapse.

News on the massive US$180 billion (RM651.6 billion) rescue package by the US government to prevent the insurance heavyweight from filing for bankruptcy, planned disposals of AIG Inc’s operating units, and fat bonus pay cheques for AIG executives have been splashed across the media in recent months.

Ryan told The Edge Financial Daily in a recent interview: “The key message to all the staff here in Malaysia is that our core activity in general insurance has nothing to do with the financial products division in the US.

“We (AIG Malaysia) have not received a single cent of the US federal taxpayers’ money. All the assets within AIG Malaysia cannot be used to meet the debts or liabilities of AIG Inc,” said Ryan who assumed the CEO post in January, taking over from former CEO Brad M Bennett.

AIG Inc had announced a fourth-quarter (4Q) net loss of US$61.7 billion, which translated into a full-year loss of US$99.3 billion.

AIG’s woes were due to its credit-default swaps sale, and subprime mortgage-backed securities holdings. Credit defaut swaps are insurance-like contracts which guarantee against companies’ failure to settle their debts.

During the quarter, AIG Inc wrote down US$25.9 billion in the value of its assets, including mortgage-backed securities and credit-default swaps. Its general insurance unit lost US$2.8 billion compared to a profit of US$2.1 billion a year earlier.

In Malaysia, AIG is represented by two insurance units — composite insurer American International Assurance Bhd (AIA Malaysia) and AIG Malaysia.

Ryan made it clear that AIG Malaysia was insulated from the woes of its parent company in the US. This is by virtue of the fact that AIG Malaysia is a locally-incorporated firm regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia, albeit not totally autonomous from AIG Inc.

The insurance veteran’s 25 years of experience will come in handy to grow sales against the backdrop of a tougher business landscape for the sector.

Ryan said AIG Malaysia was targeting a 5% growth in gross written premium for the current financial year ending Dec 31, 2009 (FY09). The firm hopes to achieve its target through sales of packaged insurance policies to small and medium enterprises.

Gross written premiums rose 8.2% to RM479 million in FY08 from RM442.6 million in FY07. The general insurer, represented by some 2,500 agents, has over RM220 million worth of liquid assets in the form of cash, or cash equivalents.

“It is going to be tough because we are a service industry. If we get 5% growth in 2009, I will be a very happy man.

“We are happy to acquire rivals, but we don’t like paying RM10 for RM5 assets. It can be very disruptive and diverting, bringing two companies together,” said Ryan who hails from the UK.

In view of the current operating enviroment, Ryan foresees insurers here raising prices to restore profit margins.

According to BNM, the combined impact of a weaker credit landscape, besides waning demand for loans and other financial products, has posed challenges for financial institutions to sustain their revenue base.

Insurers, for example, are expected to face an uphill task in sustaining gross premium amid expectations of higher claims. The expected decline in vehicle sales essentially translates into less earnings for general insurers.

“Premiums are also likely to be affected due to an increase in surrender rates and lower sums insured as a result of policyholders’ efforts to reduce costs during this difficult period.

“In addition, claims are expected to intensify due to higher incidences of theft and fraud as well as less regular maintenance,” the central bank said in its recently-released financial stability and payment systems report.

AIG Malaysia will have its work cut out, given perception issues affecting the global insurer.

• Deal only with registered/licensed intermediaries.
• Deal with intermediaries with proven track record or those with good
  referral from friends and relatives.
• Be truthful about yourself and declare material facts.
• Never be persuaded to sign on blank forms or anything you don’t understand.
• Never be persuaded to lapse an existing policy to buy a new life policy.
• Ensure that you understand the products you are buying.
• Read the policy benefits and terms carefully, and compare them with other similar products.
• Shop around to get value for money.
• Buy only what you need and what you can afford.
• Ask for sales materials, for example the sales illustrations, product pamphlets or customer fact find form u(for life products only), and keep these documents safely.
• When in doubt, always ask for more information from the intermediaries or seek clarification from the insurance company or takaful operator that offers the insurance or takaful products.
• Ask for a receipt as the proof of premium payment and keep it safely.

Via PayPro.my…

Credit card fraud is a serious crime which can cost you and credit card issuers huge losses. Credit card issuers have taken security measures to protect you against such possible frauds. However, you can also take the proper safety measures to avoid from being a victim of fraud.

Here’s what you can do to minimise your risk of being a victim of card fraud:

Safeguard your credit card

* Sign on your credit card immediately after you received it.
* Keep your credit card in the same place in your wallet or purse so that you will notice it immediately if it is lost or stolen.
* Do not lend your credit card to anyone.
* Do not provide your credit card details to an unknown party.
* Do not write down your PIN number on the back of your credit card or keep it in your wallet. Always memorise you PIN number instead.
* Keep the telephone number of your credit card issuer so that you can immediately report lost or stolen cards, unauthorised transaction or disclosure of PIN to a third party.
* Cut your expired credit cards into two when you get a new one.

Check your credit card transactions to avoid unauthorised transactions

* Check all details on the charge slip before signing or confirming the transaction.
* Keep all your charge slips and check it against your credit card statement as soon as you receive it.
* Notify your credit card issuer immediately of any error or possible unauthorised transactions and follow up in writing as soon as possible.
* Destroy all your charge slips before throwing them away.

I think everyone I know has a trip planned for the next few weeks, trying to get in just a few more days of summer fun before fall really sets in. But as all the travelers come out, so do scammers ready to take advantage of people who aren’t exactly following their normal routines.

Scams can be found anywhere: I visited Petra, where a local man tried to sell me pottery that he swore was over a thousand years old… too bad it looked exactly like someone had smashed up a brand new terra cotta pot. I’ve found scammers closer to home, too, including a guy wanting to sell me a magical gas-saving device before I even left on my journey.

There’s really only one way to avoid getting scammed, and that’s recognizing a scam before you hand over any money. There are a few scams that target travelers in particular — try comparing these to any you hear along your journeys.

Gas-Saving Gadgets
As gas prices have risen, anyone who drives has started looking for ways to cut their gas bill. Scammers of all sorts have seen an opportunity: they offer up all sorts of gas-saving gadgets for sale. There’s a wide variety of gadgets available for sale — some by manufacturers who don’t fit the traditional definition of a scammer.

They all have one thing in common, though: they don’t work. There are products like the Magnetizer, which supposedly rearrange the ions in your fuel line and the Turbonator, which swirls air going into engines to improve fuel combustion. But the Federal Trade Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency have tested these products and they just don’t work. That includes those shilled by your gas station attendant and those found on television.

Currency Exchanges
While kiosks and banks are the recommended locations to exchange your money, there are other options. For instance, if you’re willing to make an exchange with someone on the street, you can often get a better rate.

Of course, you can also wind up with bills and coins that are no longer in circulation or have your money entirely stolen.

Travel Deal Bait-And-Switch
Travel packages tend to sell well — whether a hotel is offering free meals at its restaurant or groups are going together. But it’s incredibly easy for a hotel to change the terms of your package deal after you’ve arrived — what are you going to do, after all? Go home? What if home is hours away and you don’t know the area? Some hotels will wait until you’re checking out to present you with a bill, saying that the original package was invalid or something similar.

If you’re traveling on some sort of package deal, double check the terms when you arrive and when you leave. And, always, get your deal in print!

Travel to Closed Locations
Depending on where you live, it may be difficult to travel to certain places. U.S. citizens, for instance, are forbidden from traveling to Cuba for tourism. But there are plenty of travel agents and fixers more than willing to arrange that trip, if you’re willing to pay.

But with a trip of questionable legality, it becomes easier for something to go wrong. It’s not an uncommon scam for a travel agent to sell trips to Cuba or other off-limits countries. They’ll require a large deposit and, when the departure date draws near, announce that some government authority has blocked the trip. Who is to say otherwise?

Car Rental Insurance
If you’re planning to rent a car while you travel, don’t automatically sign up for the rental company’s insurance policy. Check with your car insurance company and your credit card company — both usually offer some level of coverage for your car. Some rental agencies push hard to get you to take an insurance policy.

For drivers who do get in an accident while driving a rental car, it’s absolutely crucial to keep an eye on the paperwork the rental agency issues: most impose a staggering number of fees. These can include towing, storage, impound fees, loss of use, diminished value and administrative services, and up to thousands of dollars. Unscrupulous rental agencies simply pile on the fees, expecting the customer will just pay.

Counterfeit Merchandise
There are some travel destinations that provide great shopping opportunities. Products are available for a tenth of their price elsewhere in some countries. Of course, these versions are almost always counterfeit.

Counterfeit merchandise may not be a big deal, but if you’re thinking about buying cheap pharmaceuticals, it’s probably worth exploring other options. Counterfeits are so cheap because their manufacturers cut corners somewhere. In the case of pharmaceuticals, it’s often by cutting drugs with anything they can get their hands on, including toxins and poisons.

Fake Tickets
If you buy tickets online — for a special event, an airplane ride or anything else — there’s at least a small risk that you’ll wind up with nothing but the paper you printed your ‘ticket’ on. The Beijing Olympics ran into this exact fraud. A scammer set up a very professional looking website (BeijingTickets.com) and sold over $50 million worth of tickets that they promised to then deliver to customers. Of course, no customers received tickets. Several other websites offered similar scams, as well.

It’s worth noting that many of the tickets were purchased after the International Olympic Committee announced that tickets were officially sold out.

Take Care of Yourself
Not every hotel, car rental agency or salesman is dishonest. There really are some good travel deals out there. But when you’re offered an opportunity that really does seem to be too good to be true, it’s worth asking yourself why it seems so unbelievable. Maybe it really is too good to be true.

Thursday Bram is a freelance journalist of over five years experience. She studied Communications at the University of Tulsa and is currently working on her MA in Communication Design. Her work has focused primarily on entrepreneurial topics. More information about Thursday is available at thursdaybram.com.