If you’re planning on traveling this summer, you will want to double check your plans to make sure they are real. According the Federal Trade Commission, travelers lost over $100 million on vacation scams in 2022.

Sometimes vacation deals look too good to be true, and sometimes that’s because they are.

Cyber security experts tell us when you’re booking your vacation with a host on sites like Airbnb  or Vrbo to check the address.

You can use a site like Google Earth or Google Maps to make sure it’s a real location and not a restaurant or even a vacant lot. To check the photos, it’s important to make sure they look like the pictures listed.  

Other tips include only paying and communicating through the official platform. Some scammers might offer a discount if you pay through other options, like Venmo.

However, making sure your rental is real if just one of the dangers to be on the lookout for.

“You’re going to run into things where you’re going to want Wi-Fi access. We just ask people to avoid that. When you use public Wi-Fi, there’s a risk of that data being intercepted. So, all the phones today have hotspots on them. Use the hotspot on your phone for internet if you need to. If, for some reason, you can’t do that, make sure you have a VPN. Something to encrypt that connection so that they can’t be hacked that way,” said Z-Jak Technologies CEO Jeff Chandler.

Chandler also says to use caution when using a hotel’s computer.

Using it to find local restaurants is one thing, but they say you should not log into your bank account, social media or email.

And of course, make sure you have the latest security update and turn on two-factor authentication to make sure your trip goes to plan.

Cyber experts also recommend backing up all devices with important documents before you leave for a trip.