On July 14, the Federal Trade Commission posted two articles cautioning consumers against rogue booking websites and explaining how avoid scams. A post on the FTC’s Business Blog details how online customers can be better informed by taking steps such as reading the purchase details carefully for hidden fees and calling to confirm the reservation directly with the hotel. The other post, featured on the FTC’s Consumer Information page, discusses the main problems that arise from using rogue third-party websites.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association has recently been in talks with the FTC about the harmful effects of booking scams. In March, the AH&LA created a panel on Capitol Hill to raise awareness about the issue.
