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Plan My Tour Reviews

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Reviews 4.9.

4,866 total

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Smooth experience

Ash Jones went through every stage of the process thoroughly and with great detail ensuring that I understood what I was getting out of my purchase with them. He made sure to explain the breakdown of costs as well which was very transparent and you don’t usually get with most companies. Overall great experience, with no complaints at all. I highly recommend.

Date of experience : 17 May 2024

After a rival agency let us down

After a rival agency let us down, Jennifer Brown from Plan My Tour scoured this volatile travel market to find my wife and I a suitable all-inclusive holiday package. Competitively priced and 4 star which suits our travel needs, she never wavered until our requirements were met. Thanks for getting us a great deal in June. Tenerife, here we come and it's also a huge thank you to Emma Jones for taking our final payment. All the documentation was sent within an hour on 15 May 2024. We'll let you know about Palia Don Pedro Hotel soon. Bet you wish you were there now folks.

Date of experience : 28 April 2024

Reply from Plan My Tour

Good Morning Michael, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback regarding our team Jennifer and Emma will be very glad to read your feedback .. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Alex found us a holiday for my son’s…

Alex found us a holiday for my son’s birthday and we are over the moon with what Alex was able to find us lots of savings and we are very happy customers and looking forward to our holiday😎 Thankyou very much Craig and Lisa 👍🏼

Date of experience : 16 May 2024

Dear Craig, Thank you very much for your amazing feedback for Alex. We are thrilled that you were so impressed with his level of service. Please do not forget that we are here and happy to help if you have any queries at all and We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Sheldon was brilliant to deal with

Sheldon was brilliant to deal with and so efficient with our booking and confirmed in a timely manner. Will be using him again for future holidays. Thank you Sheldon.

Dear Tracy, Thank you so much for your positive comments.Which will be passed on to Sheldon. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. Best Regards Plan My Tour

A helpful agent

Emma was a very polite and efficient agent. She took my second holiday instalment and gave me all info for extra luggage prices. It made all easy and pleasant. Thank you Emma

Dear Vassia, Thank you very much for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Alex was very helpful

Alex was very helpful, explained everything thoroughly. Excellent Customer service skills - professional & friendly. Very smooth booking process & a really good price for the Holiday. Can't wait to go now.

Date of experience : 15 May 2024

Dear Gordon, Thank you for taking the time to write a review, it is appreciated. We are happy to hear that you were able to undertake your booking with ease and great price. We hope you have a fantastic upcoming trip. Kind Regards, Plan My Tour

Plan my tour is a very professional…

Plan my tour is a very professional company. Carl helped me to book and he kept on being in contact with me to to see if needed any help. They are very prompt and reliable. Thank you Carl for this professional service. I would highly recommend them.

Dear Amina, Thank you so much for your positive comments.Which will be passed on to Carl. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. Best Regards Plan My Tour

Highly recommend

Mathew was v patient in helping me book my 2 hotel holiday to Sardinia. He contacted the hotel to find out details he was unsure about. Helped with flights and car hire. Highly recommend.

Dear Sam, Thank you very much for your amazing feedback for Matthew. We are thrilled that you were so impressed with his level of service. Please do not forget that we are here and happy to help if you have any queries at all and We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Excellent company

Excellent company, with high quality staff who are so helpful. I've loved all my holidays with them & l highly recommend to everyone.

Good Morning Mrs Campbell, Thank you very much for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Alex is very helpful in his job.

Alex is very helpful in his job. He's very nice to speek to. I've now booked 2 holidays though him. And would recommend him to complete more holidays for me and my friends and family. Thank him very much. 5 stars.

Good Morning Darren, Thank you very much for your amazing feedback for Alex. We are thrilled that you were so impressed with his level of service. We greatly appreciate your repeat custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. Please do not forget that we are here and happy to help if you have any queries at all and We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

We have previously booked our package…

We have previously booked our package holidays with Plan my Tour. We were extremely happy with their services from start to finish. The follow up arrangements from Confirmation team is excellent, as they go through the booking itinerary in details - re-confirm the agreed hotel and flights arrangements and give us the reassurance that all is in order. Austin - Ben and Jordon who has helped us with bookings yesterday and in the past are very polite - friendly and very knowledgable in answering any questions and excellent in forwarding all bookings documentation very speedily. We have no hesitation in recommending Plan My Tour for your next holiday as they definitely provide high standard of services. Thank you to all the team members. Mr Tailor

Date of experience : 14 May 2024

Good Morning Dhansukh, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback regarding our team members Austin,Ben and Jordan will be very glad to read your feedback .. We greatly appreciate your repeat custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Perfect from start to finish Sheldon…

Perfect from start to finish Sheldon and Carl went out of their way to make sure we have the best holiday. Would highly recommend and will be using again

Good Morning Mark, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback regarding our team Sheldon and Carl will be very glad to read your feedback .. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Danny White

Danny white was great had to do a last min name change and he sorted it out very fast n helpful would highly recommended speaking with Danny when booking your holiday

Good Morning Sonia, Thank you for taking the time to write a review, it is appreciated. We are happy to hear that you were able to undertake your booking with ease. We hope you have a fantastic upcoming trip. Kind Regards, Plan My Tour

Tried for 2 hours to get boarding…

Tried for 2 hours to get boarding passes from rynair all in vain until we phoned and asked Ben Smith for help and in only a few minutes he had got it all sorted and e-mailed the passes. Fantastic service.

Dear Customer, Thank you very much for your feedback. We hope you enjoy your time away and that you book with us again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Alex was great

Alex was great, he helped us find our holiday within our budget. He was patient and did offer a few deals. Keep up the good work. satisfied customer

Date of experience : 07 May 2024

Dear Customer, Thank you very much for your feedback.We hope you enjoy your time away and that you book with us again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Ron showed exceptional customer service…

Ron showed exceptional customer service with a courtesy call to make sure we are ready for travelling the next day

Very pleased with the way Mark helped

Very pleased with the way Mark helped , very reliable & sorted out boarding passes which made life easier !

Dear Louise, Thank you very much for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Helpful service from Cynthia with clear…

Helpful service from Cynthia with clear detail etc.. but the cost is not what is advertised. There are always additions to consider such as transfers and airport location etc... so as long as you understand that the final cost is going to higher than published. Helpful service for booking

Date of experience : 01 May 2024

Dear Alastair, Thank you very much for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

I have spoken with Carl this evening he…

I have spoken with Carl this evening he was very understanding, very professional, with the sad decision we had made not to continue with our trip due to ill health.

Dear Angela, Thank you so much for your positive comments.Which will be passed on to Carl. We wish you a speedy recovery of your health.We hope you book with us again in the future. Best Regards Plan My Tour

Well done and thank you guys!

I didn’t get good customer service from this company, I’ve got exceptional customer service. A first, I was a little dubious about booking with them because I hadn’t heard of them before, I followed a link through Travel zoo so so thought it must be okay, but never the less, I had to keep checking. Eric was unbelievably kind and patient with me. My daughter and I have arrived at our hotel Caprici, Spain and so far, our experience has surpassed our expectations by far. Well done and thank you guys! Juli K-F

Date of experience : 08 May 2024

Dear Juli, Thank you very much for your amazing feedback for Eric. We are thrilled that you were so impressed with his level of service. Please do not forget that we are here and happy to help if you have any queries at all and We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

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This company is a fraud and please do not use it. In particular advisor Barry

They have taken the payment out so we are in dispute and have informed out bank.

50 replies to this topic

We have just booked with them is it a legit company as I’m worried it’s a scam and they have took the deposit out of my bank and now I’ve tried to cancel they are saying I can not and either way have to pay full amount your advice would be helpful

AVOID THIS COMPANY

We are very sorry to hear that you guys had a bad experience booking a holiday with Plan My Tour. All the bookings made with Plan My Tour are protected by TTA and ATOL.

We would request you to reach out to us on 0207 183 6913, So we can understand your situation better and help resolve any inconvenience those may have caused.

Plan My Tour

I concur Plan My Tour are a complete sham.Do not have anything to with this company or on your head be it. RTH England

Hi what did you say to the bank, did you end up getting your money back? Im in the same situation but with over a £1000 ?? Please help

I did. not go thro the bank for a partial refund I dealt detect with Plan my Tour , but after many phone calls and being passed around from person to person I realised it was costing me more money and I was getting nowhere. Also it was stressing me out so I gave up

*DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY*

****AVOID AT ALL COST****

*****ABSOLUTE SCAM****

First of all we thought we had a bargin holiday to marmaris bed and breakfast for 390pp in a nice hotel.

They then sent me confirmation which the hotel was a totally different hotel called melis otel.

Having emailed and called several times they just ignored me.

I called my bank and suspended the payment but with only booking a week before i didnt want to risk loosing all that money so me and my friend went on the holiday.

We arrived at the hotel which was barely a 2* its more like a hostel. We had to pay extra for aircon which mainly blows warm. There was know English food options as my friend has now had to eat out every meal, costing what we thought was going to be included. We are on our third day at the hotel we havent had our room cleaned, had to ask for new towels and toilet paper. The shower is just hand held and sometimes just runs cold.

The transfer to take us back to the airport had also been booked for the time we fly so good job wenhad checked or we would have missed our flight !

We are still here trying to make the most of our holiday!

WHAT EVER YOU DO DONT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY !!!!!!

Tripadvisor staff has removed this post because it did not meet Tripadvisor's forum guidelines with regards to off-topic chat.

This company is a complete scam it is a limited company and can go bust any time they wish, it has been trading for approx 18 months and they keep on putting the price up on the pretence of varying factors. I was lucky as I realised they were scamming me, ( on the third price rise !!!!!!! ) Stay well clear or you will regret

it. Check them out with company house if you wish.

“Plan my tour” seem to be a uk based operator doing trips to random tacky sun destinations

This is the forum for tourist info in Aachen(nice city with medieval city centre) so these complaints are Completely in the wrong place.

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6 Travel Scams to Avoid

Aarp's fraud watch team warns you of cons that could ruin your getaway plans.

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Sari Harrar,

Patricia Frolander, 78, walked into the Rapid City, South Dakota, Regional Airport last year with a ticket to St. George, Utah. She was on her way to visit a dear friend — but never got there. An airline employee broke the bad news: Her $398 ticket was for a nonexistent flight.

"I booked my trip through a travel agency website that looked legitimate,” Frolander says. The only red flag: fine print on Page 5 of her ticket saying she couldn't contest the reservation once purchased. “When my granddaughter checked online, she traced the website to a travel agency with a very bad history with the Better Business Bureau,” Frolander says. Her credit card company investigated and agreed to refund her money.

Watchdog Alerts

Scammers are constantly looking for ways to part people from their money, and, unfortunately, have found lucrative targets among travelers .

Here's how experts say you can avoid six current travel scams.

1. Free or rock-bottom deals

Phone calls, emails and postcards with enticing travel offers are tempting, but a deal that's way under the value of a trip — like five nights in a hotel plus airfare to Maui for $200 — means it's probably a scam, says Amy Nofziger, AARP's anti-fraud expert.

Avoid this scam: Simply walk away from any deal that seems too good to be true. And if a company asks you to pay with a prepaid gift card instead of a credit card or debit card, it's a scam, Nofziger says. Always work with a trusted travel agency or company that has a long, proven history of offering travel opportunities, she says.

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No matter where you live, fraud is never far away. Report a scam or search for existing scams near you.

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2. Rental-car cons

Scammers set up phony customer service numbers online that look just like those of major rental-car companies. When you call, they take your money and personal information, then leave you stranded.

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Avoid this scam: Before you call or click to reserve a car, verify that you're calling the real customer service department, or that you're on a legitimate company website.

3. Third-party websites for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs

Look-alike websites are popping up and claiming to be able to help you renew or enroll in the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Global Entry program , which speed you through airport security for a fee. But these sites are trying to con you out of money and personal information.

Avoid this scam: Travelers interested in enrolling in or renewing TSA PreCheck should start the process by going to the official government website, tsa.gov .

4. Disappearing vacation rentals

Scammers capitalize on the popularity of vacation properties rented out on legit sites like Airbnb and Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner) by offering — online or via social media — properties that don't exist, don't belong to them or don't measure up to the gorgeous photos.

Avoid this scam: Keep all of your interactions with a vacation property's owners on the website of legitimate companies. A request to take your conversation off the site is a sign of a likely scam. If a property has few reviews or seems too good to be true, search the address online, or check it on Google Maps.

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5. Airport and hotel Wi-Fi hacks

Connecting to public Wi-Fi gives savvy hackers easy access to your personal information.

Avoid this scam: Use your smartphone's hot spot to connect to the internet more securely. Or invest in a virtual private network (VPN), a service that encrypts your data to keep unscrupulous hackers from stealing sensitive information online. A VPN costs about $30 to $100 per year.

6. Tourist visa scams

Popular destinations (Australia, India, Vietnam, for instance) require visas from American visitors, and scammers have stepped in, creating third-party websites promising to get tourists their visas quickly, for a fee. They not only request money to expedite your visa, they request personal information valuable to criminals for identity theft. Some travelers who’ve used these sites have ended up with a fake visa — or no visa at all.

Avoid this scam : Get your tourist visa directly from the website of your destination country. (You’ll find links at https://travel.state.gov .) Many countries have turnaround times as short as one day for electronic visas, and some even allow visitors to procure them upon arrival at the airport or border crossing.

Sari Harrar is an award-winning journalist and contributing editor to AARP publications.

Sari Harrar is an award-winning reporter and contributing editor to AARP publications who writes on health, public policy and other topics.

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Plan My Tour Reviews

In the Tour Operator category

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 4.9.

4,866 total

Most relevant

Sheldon rang me to book a holiday and…

Sheldon rang me to book a holiday and he was extremely helpful as im travelling alone. Nothing was to much and I would definately recommend him

Date of experience : 08 May 2024

Reply from Plan My Tour

Good Morning Cb, Thank you very much for your feedback.We hope you enjoy your time away and that you book with us again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Contacted Mark from Plan My Tour

Contacted Mark from Plan My Tour and he was very helpful and patent with me helping me with my booking and answering all my questions this is always a worrying time for my and Mark sorted everything for me .

Date of experience : 13 May 2024

Good Evening Mr Jones, Thank you so much for your positive comments.Which will be passed on to Mark. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. Best Regards Plan My Tour

Pre holiday call from Carl…

Just had my pre holiday call from Carl Freeman at plan my tour. very helpful , he has arranged a late check out for us and is confirming that we have the twin beds that we have requested. I wasn't expecting this call. but its a lovely touch. My last trip using this company was excellent, so I have high hopes this time.

Date of experience : 03 May 2024

Good Morning Janet, Thank you very much for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your repeat custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Marshal made it very easy and done a…

Marshal made it very easy and done a fantastic job creating my holiday

Date of experience : 16 May 2024

Dear Anne, Thank you so much for your lovely comments.Which will be passed on to Marshal. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. Best Regards Plan My Tour

Hotel Arancia done through Mathew

Mathew has helped us book a first… a lads holiday. Beating prices from multiples companies, staying in budget and delivering the highest quality of service and hospitality from the hotel we have been blessed with him as our agent. Mathew has found us the perfect holiday with a smaller budget than usual and has done a fantastic job at doing so.

Date of experience : 30 April 2024

Dear Aaryan, Thank you very much for your amazing feedback for Matthew. We are thrilled that you were so impressed with his level of service. Please do not forget that we are here and happy to help if you have any queries at all and We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Extremely helpful service and above all…

Extremely helpful service and above all a very good price beating competitors by 33% on same day and flight times from same airports too

Good Morning David, Thank you for taking the time to write a review, it is appreciated. We are happy to hear that you were able to undertake your booking with ease and right price. We hope you have a fantastic upcoming trip. Kind Regards, Plan My Tour

I have found this company to be very…

I have found this company to be very responsive to customer needs. Great customer skills.

Dear Subhash, Thank you very much for your feedback. We hope you enjoy your time away and that you book with us again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Carl made our holiday special and we…

Carl made our holiday special and we haven't left yet. Very helpful and nothing seems too much trouble

Date of experience : 11 May 2024

Dear Les, Thank you so much for your positive comments.Which will be passed on to Carl. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. Best Regards Plan My Tour

very concise and friendly service!

very concise and clear information, very friendly customer service thanks to BEN SMITH! :) lovely communication skills.

Date of experience : 15 May 2024

Good Morning lukrecija, Thank you for taking the time to write a review, it is appreciated. We are happy to hear that you were able to undertake your booking with ease. We hope you have a fantastic upcoming trip. Kind Regards, Plan My Tour

Another great service from Plan my…

Another great service from Plan my tour. Pre flight follow up call from Carl who talked me through my booking and arranged last min requirements.

Date of experience : 04 May 2024

Dear Shropshire, Thank you very much for your feedback.We hope you enjoy your time away and that you book with us again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Irvin was very helpful

Irvin was very helpful, I understood everything and he was very friendly and polite. Thanks for your help and now I'm looking forward to my holiday.

Date of experience : 07 May 2024

Dear Amanda , Thank you very much for your amazing feedback for Irvin. We are thrilled that you were so impressed with his level of service. Please do not forget that we are here and happy to help if you have any queries at all and We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Danny white was very professional and…

Danny white was very professional and explained what I had to do once I received my email, this is our 3rd holiday with the come and we will be booking other holidays

Date of experience : 10 May 2024

Good Morning Saira, Thank you very much for your feedback.I'm very glad to read your feedback,We do aim to offer our customers the best value for money holidays available and to deliver the very best level of service. We greatly appreciate your repeat custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Emma is an excellence customer…

Emma is an excellence customer service,she make me relax when making a booking and I also want to say thank you to Irvin for helping my booking. Both of them doing a good job.Thank you Ms A Hassan

Dear Asmani, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback regarding our team members Emma and Irvin will be very glad to read your feedback .. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. All the best, Plan My Tour

Had a call from Carl about my holiday…

Had a call from Carl about my holiday was so helpful will definitely book again great customer service thanks

Date of experience : 09 May 2024

Dear Miriam, Thank you very much for your feedback.We hope you enjoy your time away and that you book with us again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Very Helpful!

Cynthia Mills was the travel consultant who assisted us in getting our holiday to Turkey. She was very patient and would try everything to tailor the best possible holiday for us within our budget. Highly Recommended.

Dear Customer, Thank you very much for your feedback. We hope you enjoy your time away and that you book with us again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

This is my 4th booking with this…

This is my 4th booking with this company. And I've had a pleasant experience all 4 times. Customer service is fantastic. Will definitely use again

Good Evening Heidi, Thank you for taking the time to write a review, it is appreciated. We are happy to hear that you were able to undertake your booking with ease . We greatly appreciate your repeat custom with us for 4th time and look forward to serving you again in the future. Kind Regards, Plan My Tour

Very professional

Carl was very professional, helpful and friendly.

Date of experience : 17 May 2024

Easy and ability to understand emma was great

Dear Lorraine, Thank you very much for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Marshall dealt with my booking

Marshall dealt with my booking Very polite and explained everything in full Only bad side price went up every min we were talking But we eventually settled on a really good deal for a 3 day break Thank you

Date of experience : 25 April 2024

Good Evening Mr Harrison, Thank you very much for your feedback. We greatly appreciate your custom with us and look forward to serving you again in the future. All The Best, Plan My Tour

Holiday Hardy made my experience great he has…

Hardy made my experience great he has excellent communication skills polite and courteous. He met all our requirements for a great holiday

Date of experience : 12 May 2024

Dear Catherine, Thank you so much for your positive comments.Which will be passed on to Hardy. We do hope you have a wonderful time away and that you book with us again in the future. Best Regards Plan My Tour

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How Can I Tell If a Travel Provider Is Reputable?

Jessica Labrencis

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Dear Jessica , How can I tell if a travel provider is reputable? —C.B.

If you’ve searched for airfare and hotels online, you’ve no doubt noticed dozens of suppliers itching to sell you a vacation package. Outside of industry giants like Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz, it can be tough to tell whether a provider is legitimate or if you’ll wind up stranded in a foreign country when the tour operator closes shop. Before you book with a little-known travel provider, follow these steps to ensure it’s reputable.

First, check its memberships. If a tour company is a member of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), the National Tour Association (NTA), or the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), it’s safe to say it’s a reputable company. Even if a tour operator mentions these memberships on its website, you should still check with the organizations themselves to verify it is an active member.

Get the company’s physical business address and a non-800 telephone number, and beware of companies without contact information easily available online. Look to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for complaints filed in the company’s primary area of business.

RELATED: 10 Signs Your Travel Provider Isn’t Reputable

Consider asking for client references, and contact those references to get the opinions of past travelers. You might also ask for comments about the provider on a travel message board. Frommer’s has a board dedicated to questions about travel providers.

Avoid providers requiring you to buy or sell vacation certificates or sit through a timeshare/property sales presentation , or those offering to make you an instant travel agent .

When you’re ready to book, get all trip details in writing and pay with a credit card . If anything goes wrong, your credit card company may reimburse you. Get flight and hotel confirmation numbers, and double-check your reservations with the airline or hotel.

Above all, remember the old axiom: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

More from SmarterTravel

How Do I Find a Reliable Travel Agency or Tour Operator?
7 More Dirty Little Secrets of the Travel Industry
10 Tricky Travel Scams (and How to Beat Them)

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14 Major Travel Scams to Avoid

A black and white photo of the 3 card monte scam travel

On my first big trip abroad I got scammed twice on the same day.

My friend Scott and I had just arrived in Thailand . We were in Bangkok trying to find a boat cruise to take us up and down the Chao Phraya River. A taxi driver suggested this one company; we went there and found out that an hour-long tour was only $30 USD.

Not even thinking about whether that was a deal or not, we agreed. To us — still thinking about prices back home — that offer seemed like a fair price. It was only as the boat tour ended early that we realized we might have been ripped off (later on, we found out that we paid double the price).

Then, after lunch, we wandered over to the Grand Palace. When we got there, we didn’t see any crowds. We looked down the left side of the palace, then over to the right.

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

An enterprising tuk-tuk driver came over to us and told us the palace was closed for lunch. Scott and I looked at each other. Maybe that was right. After all, many museums sometimes do that, plus we didn’t see anyone around. It seemed feasible. He offered to take us to a few that were open.

“Sure,” we replied — and found ourselves visiting not only a few temples but also a suit shop, a gem shop, and a souvenir shop.

Afterward, he took us to the palace (which was unsurprisingly open). It was then we realized that it had never been closed — we had just been on the wrong side of the building.

We had been scammed.

My life as a traveler was not off to a good start.

Travel scams are real — and they vary from country to country. If you are carrying a travel guidebook , it will list the most common scams in that specific country.

To help you stay safe, today, I want to give you a list of common travel scams to avoid.

Avoiding travel scams requires a lot of common sense and a healthy dose of suspicion. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Here are some of the more universal scams you’ll want to avoid:

Table of Contents

1. The taxi overcharge

2. your accommodation is “closed”, 3. the shell game, 4. “come in for tea and help me write a letter”, 5. free bracelets/rosemary/anything they can put on you, 6. the spill on your clothes, 7. motorbike scam, 8. the flirtatious local, 9. your attraction is closed for lunch, 10. the “found” ring, 11. the fake petition, 12. the drug deal gone bad, 13. the wrong change, 14. the switcheroo, 15. the atm scam, 16. child & injured beggars, 17. fake wi-fi hub, 18. fake currency scam, stay protected on the road.

This is one of the most common travel scams out there. Either the driver will tell you the meter is broken and try to charge you a huge rate or you’ll see the meter go higher and faster than usual

To avoid this scam, first, you need to know how much a ride should cost. I always ask the hostel or hotel staff what a ride should be so I have a frame of reference.

Next, if the cabbie tries to negotiate the rate with me, I offer him the correct rate. If he refuses, I find someone who will put the meter on. If the meter seems to be going up too quickly, I have them pull over and I get out. Many tourism boards let you report bad cab drivers so be sure to always make a mental note of their ID number when you get in the cab.

When in doubt, ask your hostel/hotel staff to call a cab for you. They will know which companies are reputable.

And never get in an unlicensed cab — no matter how amazing the deal is!

This is another cab-driver-related scam. In this scam, your driver will tell you your hotel or hostel is overbooked or even closed. It’s not. I mean, you wouldn’t have booked it if it was, right? Just ignore them and insist on going there. If they keep trying, continue to insist. They will usually shut up about it.

And while this seems like a scam no one could possibly fall for, people do. I’ve been in many cabs where they insist my hostel has been closed for months.

A note on taxis: In this smartphone era, we have our power back. We’re no longer helpless because we can look on a map and see the actual correct route. I like to look on Google Maps and see what the best route is. If it looks like they aren’t taking it, I’ll usually point to the map and insist they go that way. (I once left a taxicab in Bangkok because he tried to pull a fast one on me by taking a longer route.)

If I’m going to a country where I won’t have phone access, I download the map onto my phone. Your phone’s GPS will work even if you don’t have a connection. Additionally, ride services like Uber place accountability on drivers, which greatly reduces the likelihood of you being cheated.

I see this one all the time — how people fall for it I’ll never know. It’s such an old and obvious scam. It’s in movies, for heaven’s sake! You’ll see people on the street playing a card game (sometimes known as three-card Monte) or hiding a ball in a cup and someone guessing where it is and winning money. Then you decide to play — and you win! Thinking this is great, you bet more money…and then you lose — and lose again and again.

Here’s a short video on how the trick works:

Don’t get suckered into this con. Remember, the house always wins!

While in Morocco , someone tried this travel scam on me. I was walking out of a convenience store when a guy struck up a conversation. Finding out I was from NYC , he said he had a cousin who lived there (the first giveaway) and wanted to know if I could come to his shop to write a postcard for him (the second giveaway).

The goal here was to get me in the shop, maybe give me some tea, and then pressure me into buying something. This uses the psychological principle of reciprocity: he gave me tea, he was nice to me, so soon I’ll feel socially obliged to buy something.

Similarly, a common tea scam in China involves a beautiful local woman who wants to practice English. Due to the culture shock, many men are more than happy to speak English to a friendly local. She invites you to try a tea ceremony, so you go to a tea house (commonly near the Forbidden City).

After a while, the owners bring you the bill, it’s a huge amount of money and the owner threatens to call the police unless you pay up. As most travelers don’t want any problems, they pay up.

To avoid this, don’t follow people to a second location or believe they suddenly have a cousin who happens to live exactly where you do!

In this scam, common in Europe , a friendly person will approach you for a quick chat, then place a bracelet around your wrist or hat on your head, or give you a little sprig of rosemary. Once you have it on your person, they will demand money. When you refuse, they will begin to cause a scene in the hopes you would rather give them some money than be embarrassed.

Don’t allow anyone to put anything on your body, and be extremely wary of accepting anything for free. If they put something on you, simply take it off, give it back to them, and be firm about it. Then walk away and move on with your day. They won’t chase you.

Another common variation on this scheme is the fake monk. You’ll find this one everywhere from NYC to Europe to Asia. The “monk” will put a Buddhist bracelet on your wrist and then ask for a “donation.” Real Buddhist monks don’t wander the streets hawking cheap bracelets, so always ignore any monks that look to be peddling trinkets.

There you are, minding your own business, and someone spills something on you. Ruins your day, but accidents happen, right? They are profusely sorry and offer to clean it up, dabbing the stain, and apologizing. While you are all flustered, they are picking your pocket. By the time you realize what has happened, they are long gone.

This scam is also common in Europe. Beware of people encroaching on your person if it’s not a crowded area already. If this happens, push people away and clean it up yourself.

Another variation on this is the “poo shoe.” Particularly common in India, this scam involves someone squirting animal poop on your shoe when you’re not looking. When you notice, they “help” you find someone to clean your shoe (or they do it themselves) for an exorbitant fee. Conversely, sometimes you will just get pickpocketed while looking down at your shoe to see what happened.

Either way, if you get poop on your shoe, be wary!

You rent a motorbike and spend the day exploring. When you bring it back, the owner demands an additional payment or expensive repairs because there is some damage you didn’t know about. In some cases, they will have asked you to leave your passport as collateral instead of a deposit “since it’s easier.” Then, when they inspect the motorbike afterward and “find” new damage, you have to fork over a lot of money because they’re holding your passport hostage.

I see this scam a lot in Southeast Asia and other developing regions of the world.

To avoid this, take photos of the bike first to document any previous damage. Go around it with the owner so they know what you are taking pictures of. Use your own lock, and keep the bike out of sight and off a main street when you park it. Sometimes an owner will send someone to mess with the bike or steal it so you have to pay!

Also, always make sure you buy travel insurance so you can make a claim if there is an issue.

(This scam is much less common with rental cars, but it can still happen so always take photos and video of your vehicle before you leave the parking lot — and make sure the company knows you’re doing so.

You arrive in a new country and head to a bar, where a beautiful local comes up to you for a chat. You can’t believe your luck. You have some drinks and amazing conversation and go to a new bar or club that she suggested. However, after a wild night and lots of drinks, the woman disappears and you’re forced to pay an overpriced bill with some really big guys bearing down on you to make sure you do. Or, worse, you get drugged and wake up completely robbed of everything on you.

Another thing to be aware of is that when attractive locals are sitting by themselves at a bar they might be ‘working’ (i.e. a sex worker). It’s important not to get into an uncomfortable position where you may have misread the “chemistry” for what it really was: a business transaction you need to pay for.

The simple solution to this is to be wary of attractive locals who promise to take you to the world’s best club, get you drinks, or are overly flirtatious — especially when you stand out like a sore thumb as a foreigner. Getting on a plane didn’t increase your attractiveness by a factor of 10.

As mentioned, this is what happened to me and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker! A friendly local approaches and informs you that the attraction you want to visit is closed for any number of reasons (religious ceremony, holiday, etc.). Then they’ll guide you to a different attraction or shop, where you’re pressured to purchase something or pay a lot for entry.

To avoid this, find the main entrance or ticket counter and see for yourself. Also, keep in mind that most attractions don’t close for lunch — they close for the day. Even better, look up the open hours before you go, so you know what to expect — opening and closing times are almost always available online. Don’t be like me!

An innocent-looking person picks up a ring on the ground and asks if you dropped it. When you say no, the person looks at the ring closely, then shows you a mark “proving” that it’s pure gold. He or she offers to sell it to you for a better price. They make some money, and you get some gold you can resell. It’s a win-win! You think it’s a good deal, buy it find out it’s fake when you try to sell it at home!

This is common in Europe . One of my tour members almost fell for it when we were in Paris, but I intervened in time and sent the person away. The best way to avoid this scam is to not buy the ring. If it sounds too good to be true, it definitely is.

You’re at a popular tourist sight and a woman or kid (often pretending to be deaf or a student) will try to get you to sign a petition. You don’t know what they are saying, and to end the awkwardness, you sign the petition, hoping they will go away. But the petitioner then demands a cash donation. At best, anyone who falls for this scam is out some money; at worst, they’re pickpocketed while fighting with the petitioner.

Another one of my tour members fell for this scam (even after I warned him specifically about it), but I saved him in time. To avoid this scam, just ignore people coming up to you to sign a petition, especially when they are in groups and try to surround you. Just keep on walking.

This scam is common in many developing countries — especially those with a lively party scene like in Southeast Asia. You’re in a popular tourist area and someone offers you drugs. You say yes, and before you know it, a (real) cop is on the scene! They threaten to arrest you unless you pay a fine right there (i.e., a bribe). If caught red-handed, you’ll probably pay the bribe rather than go to jail.

To avoid this scam, don’t buy illegal drugs in other countries!

This happens a lot in countries where the bills look similar to each other. People tend to look at colors first, so when you get a pile of change that is the same color, you think you got the right change — but they really gave you the wrong bills, hoping you won’t notice until after you rush out.

To avoid getting taken, count your change carefully every time.

This happens all over the world and mostly with shirts, carpets, rugs, and antiques. You’re at a store and you see a designer item at a bargain price. Maybe they got it wholesale? After some haggling, the owner agrees to sell it to you. But while you aren’t paying attention, he gives you a knockoff.

To avoid this scam, remember that no designer anything is going to be that cheap. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it’s not true.

Second, be sure to always watch what the seller is actually giving you to be sure it’s the exact item you wanted.

When you go to use an ATM, a “helpful” local will approach you to help you avoid the ATM fee. What they are really doing is using a card skimmer to steal your credit card information once they get close. Often there is a second person in line pretending to be a customer who will agree with the “helpful” person’s tips.

To avoid this one, always use indoor ATMs inside a bank branch. Additionally, always check the ATM itself for a card skimmer. Here’s a video on how to do that:

Lastly, never let anyone get close to you when you’re using an ATM. If people are acting suspiciously, take your card and leave.

This scam can be found pretty much everywhere. Usually, an injured person or young child (sometimes with their mother) will approach you and ask for money. This is a tough one because you’ll feel compelled to help. Unfortunately, a lot of children have been roped into gangs and collect money on their behalf. And sometimes, an accomplice is waiting nearby to see where you keep your wallet so they can pickpocket you later.

Since it’s impossible to know who is legit and who is faking it, I never give money to injured beggars or children. Instead, I’ll make a donation to a helpful charity or offer them food.

These days, everyone is always on the lookout for free Wi-Fi. One common scam hackers will do is create a free unlocked Wi-Fi hub and then, once you’ve logged onto it, they steal your data.

The solution? Never join any unsecured networks and always use a VPN when you’re abroad . It will keep your data secure. Additionally, don’t access any sensitive data while on an unsecured network, such as your online bank.

If you’re not sure what network to connect to, ask the staff. Better safe than sorry!

In cities where there are a lot of currency exchanges near popular tourist attractions, a person might come up to you and ask if you want to change some money. They’ll offer you a fantastic rate and say they don’t charge commission. They might even tell you they work for an exchange place nearby or even have some sort of name tag on. The money they show you is real and they will show you all the ways it’s NOT counterfeit.

However, once you exchange some, you’ll discover that some of the notes (usually in the middle of the stack) are fake — but by that time the person is gone. As a rule, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so stick to reputable currency shops.

Chances are you’ve been scammed abroad at least once. It happens. But, to avoid getting ripped off in the future, be wary when it comes to people offering you something in a touristy setting . Think of it this way: in your day-to-day life back home, would you go for it?

If the answer is no, then chances are it’s a scam you need to avoid.

On the road, a little common sense goes a long way.

Worried about getting something lost, stolen, or falling for a scam? Make sure you get travel insurance coverage so that if something does happen, you can be made whole again and recover your losses! I never leave home without it! You can use the widget below to get your quote today:

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

SafetyWing (best for everyone)
Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.

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This company is a fraud and please do not use it. In particular advisor Barry

They have taken the payment out so we are in dispute and have informed out bank.

50 replies to this topic

AVOID THIS COMPANY

We are very sorry to hear that you guys had a bad experience booking a holiday with Plan My Tour. All the bookings made with Plan My Tour are protected by TTA and ATOL.

We would request you to reach out to us on 0207 183 6913, So we can understand your situation better and help resolve any inconvenience those may have caused.

Plan My Tour

I concur Plan My Tour are a complete sham.Do not have anything to with this company or on your head be it. RTH England

Hi what did you say to the bank, did you end up getting your money back? Im in the same situation but with over a £1000 ?? Please help

*DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY*

****AVOID AT ALL COST****

*****ABSOLUTE SCAM****

First of all we thought we had a bargin holiday to marmaris bed and breakfast for 390pp in a nice hotel.

They then sent me confirmation which the hotel was a totally different hotel called melis otel.

Having emailed and called several times they just ignored me.

I called my bank and suspended the payment but with only booking a week before i didnt want to risk loosing all that money so me and my friend went on the holiday.

The transfer to take us back to the airport had also been booked for the time we fly so good job wenhad checked or we would have missed our flight !

We are still here trying to make the most of our holiday!

WHAT EVER YOU DO DONT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY !!!!!!

Tripadvisor staff has removed this post because it did not meet Tripadvisor's forum guidelines with regards to off-topic chat.

it. Check them out with company house if you wish.

“Plan my tour” seem to be a uk based operator doing trips to random tacky sun destinations

This is the forum for tourist info in Aachen(nice city with medieval city centre) so these complaints are Completely in the wrong place.

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FinanceBuzz

Travel Scams That Can Ruin Your Vacation

Posted: October 22, 2023 | Last updated: April 7, 2024

<p> Vacation and travel scams can ruin a getaway in an instant. According to a McAfee survey, 35% of Americans have been scammed when booking travel online. </p> <p> Scams also pop up later when you're trying to enjoy the vacation itself. </p> <p> No matter how savvy you think you are, it helps to <a href="https://financebuzz.com/ways-to-travel-more?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=feed&synd_slide=1&synd_postid=14015&synd_backlink_title=step+up+your+travel+game&synd_backlink_position=1&synd_slug=ways-to-travel-more">step up your travel game</a> by becoming more aware of some of the following 15 common travel scams. </p> <p> <a href="https://financebuzz.com/top-travel-credit-cards?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=feed&synd_slide=1&synd_postid=14015&synd_backlink_title=Compare+the+best+travel+credit+cards+for+nearly+free+travel&synd_backlink_position=2&synd_slug=top-travel-credit-cards">Compare the best travel credit cards for nearly free travel</a> </p>

Vacation and travel scams can ruin a getaway in an instant. According to a McAfee survey, 35% of Americans have been scammed when booking travel online.

Scams also pop up later when you're trying to enjoy the vacation itself.

No matter how savvy you think you are, it helps to step up your travel game by becoming more aware of some of the following 15 common travel scams.

Earn Points and Miles: Find the best travel credit card for nearly free travel

Overpriced taxis

One of the most common scams isn’t overly dastardly or cleverly concealed. Instead, it involves locals overcharging tourists for taxi drives.

Due to currency conversion, it can be difficult to know the going rate for basic services such as taxi rides when you travel abroad. That makes you more susceptible to the scam.

One simple way to avoid this scam is to ask a trusted local — such as a hotel concierge — about the going rate for cab fare. Also, make sure your driver turns on the meter once you get in the car.

Get expert advice on making more money - sent straight to your inbox.

<p> Another taxi-related scam involves drivers insisting your hotel is overbooked or closed. The driver then offers to take you to another hotel, which is likely much more expensive. </p> <p> The scam is that the hotel owner secretly gives the driver a cut of the profits for bringing you there. </p> <p> When you land at your destination, call your hotel to make sure it’s open and your room is still reserved. </p>

Tales about overbooked hotels

Another taxi-related scam involves drivers insisting your hotel is overbooked or closed. The driver then offers to take you to another hotel, which is likely much more expensive.

The scam is that the hotel owner secretly gives the driver a cut of the profits for bringing you there.

When you land at your destination, call your hotel to make sure it’s open and your room is still reserved.

The ‘spilled drink’ pickpocket scam

Pickpockets are another common source of scams when you travel.

One common pickpocket scam involves someone accidentally spilling something on you and then offering to help you clean it up. While you’re distracted, the pickpocket snags your wallet or money clip. Be on guard for this scam.

Grow Your $$: 11 brilliant ways to build wealth after 40

Offers for ‘free’ vacations

There are many online travel scams, but some of the most common start with the offer of what appears to be a “free” vacation.

In this scam, fraudsters often ask for credit card information and tell you it’s just so you can pay taxes and other small, seemingly nominal charges. But the charges will keep coming, making your “free” vacation look like something less than a bargain.

<p> Many scammers are just after your cash, but some are more sinister. One such scam is the fake police impersonation, where someone impersonates an officer and invents a false reason to see your passport. </p> <p> The “officer” may then try to take the passport and your wallet. So, make sure any officer you speak to provides legitimate identification. </p>

Scammers impersonating police officers

Many scammers are just after your cash, but some are more sinister. One such scam is the fake police impersonation, where someone impersonates an officer and invents a false reason to see your passport.

The “officer” may then try to take the passport and your wallet. So, make sure any officer you speak to provides legitimate identification.

<p> If you plan on driving while abroad, you’ll need an international driver’s permit or IDP. These are offered by legitimate agencies, such as the U.S. State Department or AAA. </p> <p> However, scammers might try to sell IDPs to you for a cheaper price. Of course, the documents you receive from these scammers are fake. Being caught with a phony permit could get you in trouble with the law.</p> <p> <a href="https://financebuzz.com/retire-early-quiz?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=feed&synd_slide=7&synd_postid=14015&synd_backlink_title=Will+you+be+able+to+retire+early%3F+Take+this+quiz+to+find+out.&synd_backlink_position=5&synd_slug=retire-early-quiz">Will you be able to retire early? Take this quiz to find out.</a> </p>

Phony international driving permits (IDPs)

If you plan on driving while abroad, you’ll need an international driver’s permit or IDP. These are offered by legitimate agencies, such as the U.S. State Department or AAA.

However, scammers might try to sell IDPs to you for a cheaper price. Of course, the documents you receive from these scammers are fake. Being caught with a phony permit could get you in trouble with the law.

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<p> Beware if you’re in a place with street vendors or another type of marketplace environment: A common scam involves a vendor placing a piece of jewelry — such as a bracelet — on your person. </p> <p> Then, the vendor rather aggressively asks you for money for the item. </p> <p> The scammers in this situation are relying on you to feel embarrassed or awkward and pay them to keep from causing a scene. Don’t fall for this. </p> <p> Instead, remove the item they gave you, hand it back, and leave. Don’t be socially pressured into falling for what's clearly a scam. </p>

Demands that you pay for jewelry

Beware if you’re in a place with street vendors or another type of marketplace environment: A common scam involves a vendor placing a piece of jewelry — such as a bracelet — on your person.

Then, the vendor rather aggressively asks you for money for the item.

The scammers in this situation are relying on you to feel embarrassed or awkward and pay them to keep from causing a scene. Don’t fall for this.

Instead, remove the item they gave you, hand it back, and leave. Don’t be socially pressured into falling for what's clearly a scam.

<p> If you’re nearing a popular tourist destination, be wary of locals trying to talk you out of your plans. They might say a restaurant, museum, or other attraction is closed or that they can offer you a more authentic local experience. </p> <p> In truth, the scammer might take you to another location with much higher admission fees or prices, pressure you to buy items you don’t want and engage in other tactics that will leave you poorer. </p>

Warnings that tourist attractions that are closed

If you’re nearing a popular tourist destination, be wary of locals trying to talk you out of your plans. They might say a restaurant, museum, or other attraction is closed or that they can offer you a more authentic local experience.

In truth, the scammer might take you to another location with much higher admission fees or prices, pressure you to buy items you don’t want and engage in other tactics that will leave you poorer.

<p> When booking an Airbnb or similar vacation rental, you’ve probably seen the option to book local experiences or to share time out on the town with locals. These are usually legitimate. </p> <p> However, scammers run amok in these environments. Make sure to properly vet something before paying for it, or just consider opting for a more legitimate tour or experience. </p> <p> <a href="https://financebuzz.com/southwest-booking-secrets-55mp?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=feed&synd_slide=10&synd_postid=14015&synd_backlink_title=9+nearly+secret+things+to+do+if+you+fly+Southwest&synd_backlink_position=6&synd_slug=southwest-booking-secrets-55mp">9 nearly secret things to do if you fly Southwest</a> </p>

‘Experience’ scams at travel sites

When booking an Airbnb or similar vacation rental, you’ve probably seen the option to book local experiences or to share time out on the town with locals. These are usually legitimate.

However, scammers run amok in these environments. Make sure to properly vet something before paying for it, or just consider opting for a more legitimate tour or experience.

9 nearly secret things to do if you fly Southwest

<p> Vacation packages are an excellent way to save money while traveling. They also simplify your plans. However, scammers can easily take advantage of people through vacation packages. </p> <p> One major travel scam involves a fake charter flight deal. For example, you might be offered a luxurious private plane ride that includes a tour, residence, and more. </p> <p> These packages are often scams, though. Want to make sure the deal is real? Stop by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Special Authorities Division website and check out the list of approved public charter flights. </p>

Fake charter-flight offers

Vacation packages are an excellent way to save money while traveling. They also simplify your plans. However, scammers can easily take advantage of people through vacation packages.

One major travel scam involves a fake charter flight deal. For example, you might be offered a luxurious private plane ride that includes a tour, residence, and more.

These packages are often scams, though. Want to make sure the deal is real? Stop by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Special Authorities Division website and check out the list of approved public charter flights.

<p> A great way to explore a city abroad is on a motorcycle or bike. It is common to find folks in major cities renting these modes of transportation for the day. </p> <p> However, this is a common way to get scammed. The person who rents you the motorcycle or bike will often keep your passport until the rental is returned. </p> <p> Once you return, the person who offered the rental may claim you somehow damaged the bike and demand payment. </p> <p> Look up these rentals in advance and check out the reviews. Also, take pictures of the equipment before you use it to prove you didn’t damage it later. If possible, let the person renting the equipment know that you are taking photos. </p>

Motorcycle or bike scams

A great way to explore a city abroad is on a motorcycle or bike. It is common to find folks in major cities renting these modes of transportation for the day.

However, this is a common way to get scammed. The person who rents you the motorcycle or bike will often keep your passport until the rental is returned.

Once you return, the person who offered the rental may claim you somehow damaged the bike and demand payment.

Look up these rentals in advance and check out the reviews. Also, take pictures of the equipment before you use it to prove you didn’t damage it later. If possible, let the person renting the equipment know that you are taking photos.

<p> As people become more aware of scams, scammers are becoming more discreet and less detectable. One new way they’re ripping off people is through something called “juice jacking.” </p> <p> In this trick, the scammer goes to a public charging station — like those found at airports, restaurants, and other busy areas — and installs malware on a device that can steal your personal information when you use the charger. </p> <p> Many experts suggest avoiding these charging stations and simply using your own cable and plugging directly into an AC power outlet to recharge your device. </p> <p> <a href="https://financebuzz.com/manage-money-retirement-with-500000?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=feed&synd_slide=13&synd_postid=14015&synd_backlink_title=5+things+you+need+to+know+before+retiring+with+%24500%2C000&synd_backlink_position=7&synd_slug=manage-money-retirement-with-500000">5 things you need to know before retiring with $500,000</a> </p>

‘Juice jacking’ malware

As people become more aware of scams, scammers are becoming more discreet and less detectable. One new way they’re ripping off people is through something called “juice jacking.”

In this trick, the scammer goes to a public charging station — like those found at airports, restaurants, and other busy areas — and installs malware on a device that can steal your personal information when you use the charger.

Many experts suggest avoiding these charging stations and simply using your own cable and plugging directly into an AC power outlet to recharge your device.

<p> Pickpockets are incredibly creative, and some plan on robbing you hours before the actual crime. One way they do this is through working with beggars. </p> <p> In this scam, a beggar will approach you for money. Often, the beggar is a woman with a child or someone injured, so their plight really pulls on your heartstrings. </p> <p> Meanwhile, the pickpocket lurks nearby to watch where you put your wallet after giving the beggar money. That makes it easier for the pickpocket to snag the wallet later in the day. </p>

Pickpockets who work with beggars

Pickpockets are incredibly creative, and some plan on robbing you hours before the actual crime. One way they do this is through working with beggars.

In this scam, a beggar will approach you for money. Often, the beggar is a woman with a child or someone injured, so their plight really pulls on your heartstrings.

Meanwhile, the pickpocket lurks nearby to watch where you put your wallet after giving the beggar money. That makes it easier for the pickpocket to snag the wallet later in the day.

<p> In this scam, a fraudster asks if you dropped or lost a ring. After you say “no,” they’ll produce the ring and ask if you want to buy it from them. They’ll go so far as to show proof that it’s real gold or silver, suggesting you resell it at home. </p> <p> Often, the jewelry is cheap and not authentic and has no resale value. If someone approaches you about a lost ring and it’s not yours, just politely say “no” and walk away. </p>

The dropped-ring scam

In this scam, a fraudster asks if you dropped or lost a ring. After you say “no,” they’ll produce the ring and ask if you want to buy it from them. They’ll go so far as to show proof that it’s real gold or silver, suggesting you resell it at home.

Often, the jewelry is cheap and not authentic and has no resale value. If someone approaches you about a lost ring and it’s not yours, just politely say “no” and walk away.

<p> ATMs have long been a place where pickpockets and criminals thrive. Scammers now have the technology to steal your money and information without ever approaching you. </p> <p> Scammers can install devices called skimmers on ATMs. Skimmers look exactly like a regular card reader and are often installed on top of the real one. However, this device records your credit card information. A hidden camera is often used to record your PIN. </p> <p> When you use an ATM, check the reader carefully. Skimmers usually are noticeable and look out of place. For extra protection, cover your hand as you enter your PIN so a camera will have a tough time picking up the numbers you are entering. </p>

ATM skimmer scams

ATMs have long been a place where pickpockets and criminals thrive. Scammers now have the technology to steal your money and information without ever approaching you.

Scammers can install devices called skimmers on ATMs. Skimmers look exactly like a regular card reader and are often installed on top of the real one. However, this device records your credit card information. A hidden camera is often used to record your PIN.

When you use an ATM, check the reader carefully. Skimmers usually are noticeable and look out of place. For extra protection, cover your hand as you enter your PIN so a camera will have a tough time picking up the numbers you are entering.

Bottom line

Travel scammers are everywhere, whether you’re planning a trip locally, domestically, or abroad. While you shouldn’t spend your vacation looking over your shoulder in fear, it is still essential to remain alert.

Be wary of strangers, and never hand over cash, personal items, or information to people you don’t know.

Using one of the top credit cards to pay for purchases can also offer protection from losing money in a travel scam. Credit cards limit the amount of fraudulent transactions for which you can be held responsible and allow you to dispute charges.

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Smooth experience

Date of experience : 17 May 2024

After a rival agency let us down

Date of experience : 28 April 2024

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Alex found us a holiday for my son’s…

Date of experience : 16 May 2024

Sheldon was brilliant to deal with

Sheldon was brilliant to deal with and so efficient with our booking and confirmed in a timely manner. Will be using him again for future holidays. Thank you Sheldon.

A helpful agent

Emma was a very polite and efficient agent. She took my second holiday instalment and gave me all info for extra luggage prices. It made all easy and pleasant. Thank you Emma

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Alex was very helpful

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Highly recommend

Mathew was v patient in helping me book my 2 hotel holiday to Sardinia. He contacted the hotel to find out details he was unsure about. Helped with flights and car hire. Highly recommend.

Excellent company

Excellent company, with high quality staff who are so helpful. I've loved all my holidays with them & l highly recommend to everyone.

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Perfect from start to finish Sheldon and Carl went out of their way to make sure we have the best holiday. Would highly recommend and will be using again

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Danny white was great had to do a last min name change and he sorted it out very fast n helpful would highly recommended speaking with Danny when booking your holiday

Tried for 2 hours to get boarding…

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Alex was great

Alex was great, he helped us find our holiday within our budget. He was patient and did offer a few deals. Keep up the good work. satisfied customer

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I have spoken with Carl this evening he was very understanding, very professional, with the sad decision we had made not to continue with our trip due to ill health.

Well done and thank you guys!

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Himanshu Sharma

The dangers of dealing with unprofessional booking agencies.

Pathetic customer service, the people are rude and the entire setup is most likely a scam. Just before travelling dates they would say that the person who took the booking has left the company and then the entire booking arrangements are changed. People who pick up the phone on their helpline do not have the basic understanding of handling issues. I had to call atleast 50 times in a week for an invoice but their incompetent team still couldn’t understand some basic requirements. ITS A STRICT NO FOR CORPORATES.

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Vivek Bhojak

Disappointments with service commitments.

Service is not as per commitment.As per discussion and my package it was very clear to hotel checkin by 6AM but they didn’t make arrangements accordingly and asked me to wait for 4 5 hours.Hotel and camp room was not as expected.I will suggest that do not go with their package and service.

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Watch Out For These Five Scams On Your Next Cancun Trip

By: Author Mika Langel

Posted on Published: February 8, 2023

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Last Updated 1 year ago

Cancun is one of the most appealing and inviting international destinations in 2023. With ever-growing arrival figures, there seems to be no end in sight to the city’s astonishing popularity. Despite being an overall safe destination for travelers, Cancun is still prone to a number of scams that travelers may encounter while on vacation. In this article, we’ll go over 5 of the most common scams and what you can do to protect yourself.

Be Wary Of These Taxi Scams

Getting a taxi may very well be the first thing most travelers do upon arrival to Cancun. Although they are often the most convenient – and theoretically affordable – option for getting around the city, it’s not always fool-proof. Cancun’s growing feud over Uber is likely to further worsen the issue as authorities attempt to implement new regulations.

A passenger waiting to board a taxi in Cancun

One of the most common forms of taxi fraud includes the improper use of the taximeter. Some drivers may forgo its use completely, whereas others may try to hide it. To prevent your next taxi ride from costing more than it should, agree to a fixed price beforehand. Travelers should also keep an eye on pirate taxis which appear to be legitimate taxi firms but are actually privately-owned vehicles.

Double- Check Your Restaurant Bill

Earlier this year, we reported that cases of restaurants automatically charging clients a hefty tip on their final bill had grown sharply across the Mexican Caribbean. While tipping is certainly appreciated, especially when the service and food are remarkable, it is by no means mandatory.

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Easily Earn Points For Free Travel

Seaside Restaurant at Sun Palace in Cancun with tables and chairs and place settings.

The next time you’re out for dinner in Cancun or other Mexcian Caribbean resort towns, double-check your final bill to make sure no automatic tip is included. A small tip goes a long way, especially for Cancun’s low-earning hospitality staff, but it should always happen on a voluntary basis.

Watch Out For These Common Nightlife Scams

At night, Cancun and other resort destinations like Playa del Carmen turn into vibrant hubs for partygoers. While a night is one of the top things to do when in town, it’s also a risky business for travelers. This particular scame can happen anywhere in the world, even the U.S.

Ill-intentioned bar tenders can target travelers — especially those that have enjoyed a few drinks too many — to charge more than they should by adding additional charges.

Travelers should also watch out for a scam that involves charging clients repeatedly for the same purchase under the excuse that their card has been declined.

Outdoor view of Cancun's vibrant nightlife

Don’t Fall For This Cancun Airport Scam

After waiting in a long line to complete migration and customs checks at Cancun International Airport, travelers are eager to get to their accommodations quickly. Unfortunately, countless tourists fall victim to what’s known as a timeshare scam, whereby travelers are promised free giveaways to lure them into attending a sales presentation, after which they are pressured to purchase expensive services, including fake accommodation .

Police centre in Cancun with a female agent assisting travellers

Travelers are most likely to encounter this form of fraud just after arriving at Cancun International Airport, where sneaky salespeople may offer free rides to a nearby hotel or resort where a sales presentation is given.

It is possible that they may even try to convince you that they are your pre-arranged transportation.

Travelers should always leave the airport completely before looking for their transportation, as they will never be inside the airport waiting. They will always be outside.

Taxis and Other Vehicles Outside of Cancun Airport

Avoid Risky Online Offers

Online travel agency scams are on the rise across the Mexcian Caribbean, affecting both national and international travelers. These scams work by promising visitors either tour experiences or luxury accommodations at ridiculously low prices.

In reality, those too-good-to-be-true offers turn out to be non-existent, even after rendering payment.

A Cancun jail with police cars and vehicles parked out in front

Travelers can verify the legality of Mexcian tour agencies by ensuring that they are registered on the national travel agency register. Additionally, visitors are encouraged to book with reputable agencies with good track records and strong online security features such as secure payment methods .

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Wednesday 28th of June 2023

Recently had my fourth trip to Riviera Maya in 15 years. Never again. The place has lost its charm. First, everything and I mean everything is more expensive than the states. Second, the constant scamming has gotten worse since the pandemic. Charging extra for car insurance, not accepting the one you bought online. Charging extra for entrances to cenotes that are supposed to be included in hotel stay, the people here just want to suck you dry. Third, street crime is on the up in Playa del carmen. We witnessed a robbery, chase and arrest on a large street where we were parked. Who wants to see this on vacation? As much as I love Mexico and the gentle maya people of the Yucatan, I simply work too hard for my money to have it stripped away this easy. Oh and did I mention the dirt, pollution, stink of rotting seaweed and aggressive hawkers...throw that in as well. No, of you are considering a vacation, hive the Riviera a skip.

Michael Jacobs

Saturday 11th of February 2023

We are looking to visit the Mayan Riviera again after 4 years, but with some fear of a repeat of the extortion we faced by police that occurred coming and going from/to the Cancun airport with a Mexx rental car. In both cases they fabricated traffic violations, demanded money, and threatened jail-time. While we managed to talk our way out of the first confrontation on our way to Tulum, upon our return for our early morning flight home we were pulled over and then escorted to an ATM by an officer (with siren and lights flashing) who demanded cash or threatened to arrest me. For my wife and 11 year old son, this was terrifying. For all of us, it was an experience we hope to never experience again. It was almost like they knew when we were coming. We wondered if it was an "inside job", where our license plate number and car rental pick-up and return times were provided to these men. A scary and upsetting end to an otherwise great trip. Be interested if others have faced the same extortion by Mexican police and if anyone has advise for how to deal with such a situation should it happen again? I did see that 4 officers were recently under investigation.

Mike British Columbia - Canada

Michael Savage

Wednesday 8th of February 2023

You missed two of the most common. Switching your 500 peso note for a twenty and then saying you made a mistake and specially at gas stations. Another is squirting mustard on you and offering to clean you up while your pocket is picked. Beware of Mexicans askimg where you are from as they are often trying to distract you while you they perpetrate a crime.

Michael Barnes

Thursday 9th of February 2023

@Michael Savage, Something similar happened to me in Tulum last October, I was in a supermarket where someone squirted taco sauce on my back and shorts when I looked behind me to see what happened the guy who squirted the sauce had disappeared but another man standing nearby told me I had to go to the toilets to clean up, luckily I didn't instead I looked for security who actually showed me a picture of the guy from the stores CCTV, they went looking for the guy but he has disappeared. I feel very lucky that I didn't go to the toilets because I dread to think what would've happened.

@Michael Savage, i ALSO SAW AT A gaz station, full service where the pump was not reset when I arrived, the attendant probably put 20 pesos in his own car,

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very concise and friendly service!

very concise and clear information, very friendly customer service thanks to BEN SMITH! :) lovely communication skills.

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Another great service from Plan my…

Another great service from Plan my tour. Pre flight follow up call from Carl who talked me through my booking and arranged last min requirements.

Date of experience : 04 May 2024

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Irvin was very helpful

Irvin was very helpful, I understood everything and he was very friendly and polite. Thanks for your help and now I'm looking forward to my holiday.

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Danny white was very professional and explained what I had to do once I received my email, this is our 3rd holiday with the come and we will be booking other holidays

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Emma is an excellence customer…

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This is my 4th booking with this company. And I've had a pleasant experience all 4 times. Customer service is fantastic. Will definitely use again

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Carl was very professional, helpful and friendly.

Date of experience : 17 May 2024

Easy and ability to understand emma was great

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Marshall dealt with my booking

Date of experience : 25 April 2024

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Holiday Hardy made my experience great he has…

Hardy made my experience great he has excellent communication skills polite and courteous. He met all our requirements for a great holiday

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By Megan Cerullo

May 18, 2023 / 6:48 AM EDT / MoneyWatch

Taylor Swift fans are scrambling for tickets to the pop artist's sold out "Eras Tour ." The rush for seats is also inviting the interest of another party: scammers.

The Better Business Bureau warns of at least 20 distinct instances of related scams. For example, one consumer said a Twitter user advertised tickets for sale and requested $800 through mobile payment apps. The victim sent the money, but never received the concert tickets. Other scammers are hacking into Facebook users' accounts to impersonate them and dupe their close contacts into transferring them money for tickets that don't exist.

Strong demand for tickets, coupled with mobile technology that makes it hard to spot fake tickets, puts consumers at risk of being duped into purchasing phony tickets, according to consumer watchdog Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG). Along with Swift, some of the biggest names in entertainment, such as Beyoncé, Pink and the Arctic Monkeys, have upcoming shows, making it important for fans to remain vigilant.

"Desperate music and sports fans can fall for scams involving tickets because they want to go so much that they make bad decisions they wouldn't normally make," Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog at U.S. PIRG Education Fund, said in a statement.

The consumer watchdog urges consumers to avoid buying event tickets through marketplaces like Facebook, Instagram and Craigslist, where scammers may lurk. Even people who secure authentic tickets can be exposed to having their information hacked using such sites, with the group noting that it can be hard or impossible to recoup losses.

"It's sad, but it's easier than ever for music or sports fans to get scammed by counterfeit tickets or get tricked into providing their personal information," Murray said. "And by the time you realize there's a problem, the thief and your money are long gone."

Common types of ticket scams

Counterfeit paper or electronic tickets. You shell out for tickets that are invalid.
Scammers who have legitimate tickets sell them to multiple buyers.
Con artists who create bogus websites that mimic sites such as StubHub, VividSeats or TicketMaster to capture consumer search traffic. They pretend to sell tickets but instead steal your credit or debit card information

Tips for avoiding scams

First, don't buy tickets from strangers. Keep your guard up when looking for tickets to attend events at sold-out venues. It's best to purchase tickets through a verified agency.

"Unless you're buying tickets from someone you actually know — a co-worker, a relative, a super close friend — then don't try to buy tickets from an individual," Murray wrote in a blog post .

PIRG also advises against purchasing tickets using a payment service like Zelle, Venmo or PayPal — if it's a scam, it will be impossible to recoup your money. If you willingly pay a third party using one of these services, they are not responsible if you are duped.

Relatedly, it's better to buy tickets with a credit card than a debit card because the former typically has more protections under the Fair Credit Billing Act. If you're scammed, you can file a claim with your credit issuer and they will typically refund you.

While it may seem obvious, you should only purchase tickets through well-known, reputable resellers. Beware of duplicate sites that mimic those of known companies. Also, research their refund policy just in case the tickets they sell you turn out to be counterfeit. Finally, cross-check the section and seat number on a ticket with the layout of the venue to make sure it actually exists.

Arctic Monkeys
Taylor Swift
Consumer News
Beyoncé
Entertainment
Better Business Bureau

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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A Plan to Remake the Middle East

While talks for a cease-fire between israel and hamas continue, another set of negotiations is happening behind the scenes..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

Today, if and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a ceasefire fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East. My colleague Michael Crowley has been reporting on that plan and explains why those involved in it believe they have so little time left to get it done.

It’s Wednesday, May 8.

Michael, I want to start with what feels like a pretty dizzying set of developments in this conflict over the past few days. Just walk us through them?

Well, over the weekend, there was an intense round of negotiations in an effort, backed by the United States, to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

The latest ceasefire proposal would reportedly see as many as 33 Israeli hostages released in exchange for potentially hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

US officials were very eager to get this deal.

Pressure for a ceasefire has been building ahead of a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah.

Because Israel has been threatening a military offensive in the Southern Palestinian city of Rafah, where a huge number of people are crowded.

Fleeing the violence to the North. And now they’re packed into Rafah. Exposed and vulnerable, they need to be protected.

And the US says it would be a humanitarian catastrophe on top of the emergency that’s already underway.

Breaking news this hour — very important breaking news. An official Hamas source has told The BBC that it does accept a proposal for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

And for a few hours on Monday, it looked like there might have been a major breakthrough when Hamas put out a statement saying that it had accepted a negotiating proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the ceasefire proposal does not meet his country’s requirements. But Netanyahu says he will send a delegation of mediators to continue those talks. Now, the terms —

But those hopes were dashed pretty quickly when the Israelis took a look at what Hamas was saying and said that it was not a proposal that they had agreed to. It had been modified.

And overnight —

Israeli troops stormed into Rafah. Video showing tanks crashing over a sign at the entrance of the city.

— the Israelis launched a partial invasion of Rafah.

It says Hamas used the area to launch a deadly attack on Israeli troops over the weekend.

And they have now secured a border crossing at the Southern end of Gaza and are conducting targeted strikes. This is not yet the full scale invasion that President Biden has adamantly warned Israel against undertaking, but it is an escalation by Israel.

So while all that drama might suggest that these talks are in big trouble, these talks are very much still alive and ongoing and there is still a possibility of a ceasefire deal.

And the reason that’s so important is not just to stop the fighting in Gaza and relieve the suffering there, but a ceasefire also opens the door to a grand diplomatic bargain, one that involves Israel and its Arab neighbors and the Palestinians, and would have very far-reaching implications.

And what is that grand bargain. Describe what you’re talking about?

Well, it’s incredibly ambitious. It would reshape Israel’s relationship with its Arab neighbors, principally Saudi Arabia. But it’s important to understand that this is a vision that has actually been around since well before October 7. This was a diplomatic project that President Biden had been investing in and negotiating actually in a very real and tangible way long before the Hamas attacks and the Gaza war.

And President Biden was looking to build on something that President Trump had done, which was a series of agreements that the Trump administration struck in which Israel and some of its Arab neighbors agreed to have normal diplomatic relations for the first time.

Right, they’re called the Abraham Accords.

That’s right. And, you know, Biden doesn’t like a lot of things, most things that Trump did. But he actually likes this, because the idea is that they contribute to stability and economic integration in the Middle East, the US likes Israel having friends and likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

President Biden agrees with the Saudis and with the Israelis, that Iran is really the top threat to everybody here. So, how can you build on this? How can you expand it? Well, the next and biggest step would be normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

And the Saudis have made clear that they want to do this and that they’re ready to do this. They weren’t ready to do it in the Trump years. But Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has made clear he wants to do it now.

So this kind of triangular deal began to take shape before October 7, in which the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia would enter this three way agreement in which everyone would get something that they wanted.

And just walk through what each side gets in this pre-October 7th version of these negotiations?

So for Israel, you get normalized ties with its most important Arab neighbor and really the country that sets the tone for the whole Muslim world, which is Saudi Arabia of course. It makes Israel feel safer and more secure. Again, it helps to build this alliance against Iran, which Israel considers its greatest threat, and it comes with benefits like economic ties and travel and tourism. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been very open, at least before October 7th, that this was his highest diplomatic and foreign policy priority.

For the Saudis, the rationale is similar when it comes to Israel. They think that it will bring stability. They like having a more explicitly close ally against Iran. There are economic and cultural benefits. Saudi Arabia is opening itself up in general, encouraging more tourism.

But I think that what’s most important to the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is what he can get from the United States. And what he has been asking for are a couple of essential things. One is a security agreement whose details have always been a little bit vague, but I think essentially come down to reliable arms supplies from the United States that are not going to be cut off or paused on a whim, as he felt happened when President Biden stopped arms deliveries in 2021 because of how Saudi was conducting its war in Yemen. The Saudis were furious about that.

Saudi Arabia also wants to start a domestic nuclear power program. They are planning for a very long-term future, possibly a post-oil future. And they need help getting a nuclear program off the ground.

And they want that from the US?

And they want that from the US.

Now, those are big asks from the us. But from the perspective of President Biden, there are some really enticing things about this possible agreement. One is that it will hopefully produce more stability in the region. Again, the US likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

The US also wants to have a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia. You know, despite the anger at Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, the Biden administration recognizes that given the Saudis control over global oil production and their strategic importance in the Middle East, they need to have a good relationship with them. And the administration has been worried about the influence of China in the region and with the Saudis in particular.

So this is an opportunity for the US to draw the Saudis closer. Whatever our moral qualms might be about bin Salman and the Saudi government, this is an opportunity to bring the Saudis closer, which is something the Biden administration sees as a strategic benefit.

All three of these countries — big, disparate countries that normally don’t see eye-to-eye, this was a win-win-win on a military, economic, and strategic front.

That’s right. But there was one important actor in the region that did not see itself as winning, and that was the Palestinians.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

First, it’s important to understand that the Palestinians have always expected that the Arab countries in the Middle East would insist that Israel recognize a Palestinian state before those countries were willing to essentially make total peace and have normal relations with Israel.

So when the Abraham Accords happened in the Trump administration, the Palestinians felt like they’d been thrown under the bus because the Abraham Accords gave them virtually nothing. But the Palestinians did still hold out hope that Saudi Arabia would be their savior. And for years, Saudi Arabia has said that Israel must give the Palestinians a state if there’s going to be a normal relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Now the Palestinians see the Saudis in discussions with the US and Israel about a normalization agreement, and there appears to be very little on offer for the Palestinians. And they are feeling like they’re going to be left out in the cold here.

Right. And in the minds of the Palestinians, having already been essentially sold out by all their other Arab neighbors, the prospect that Saudi Arabia, of all countries, the most important Muslim Arab country in the region, would sell them out, had to be extremely painful.

It was a nightmare scenario for them. And in the minds of many analysts and US officials, this was a factor, one of many, in Hamas’s decision to stage the October 7th attacks.

Hamas, like other Palestinian leaders, was seeing the prospect that the Middle East was moving on and essentially, in their view, giving up on the Palestinian cause, and that Israel would be able to have friendly, normal relations with Arab countries around the region, and that it could continue with hardline policies toward the Palestinians and a refusal, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said publicly, to accept a Palestinian state.

Right. So Michael, once Hamas carries out the October 7th attacks in an effort to destroy a status quo that it thinks is leaving them less and less relevant, more and more hopeless, including potentially this prospect that Saudi Arabia is going to normalize relations with Israel, what happens to these pre-October 7th negotiations between the US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel?

Well, I think there was a snap assumption that these talks were dead and buried. That they couldn’t possibly survive a cataclysm like this.

But then something surprising happened. It became clear that all the parties were still determined to pull-off the normalization.

And most surprisingly of all, perhaps, was the continued eagerness of Saudi Arabia, which publicly was professing outrage over the Israeli response to the Hamas attacks, but privately was still very much engaged in these conversations and trying to move them forward.

And in fact, what has happened is that the scope of this effort has grown substantially. October 7th didn’t kill these talks. It actually made them bigger, more complicated, and some people would argue, more important than ever.

We’ll be right back.

Michael, walk us through what exactly happens to these three-way negotiations after October 7th that ends up making them, as you just said, more complicated and more important than ever?

Well, it’s more important than ever because of the incredible need in Gaza. And it’s going to take a deal like this and the approval of Saudi Arabia to unlock the kind of massive reconstruction project required to essentially rebuild Gaza from the rubble. Saudi Arabia and its Arab friends are also going to be instrumental in figuring out how Gaza is governed, and they might even provide troops to help secure it. None of those things are going to happen without a deal like this.

Fascinating.

But this is all much more complicated now because the price for a deal like this has gone up.

And by price, you mean?

What Israel would have to give up. [MUSIC PLAYING]

From Saudi Arabia’s perspective, you have an Arab population that is furious at Israel. It now feels like a really hard time to do a normalization deal with the Israelis. It was never going to be easy, but this is about as bad a time to do it as there has been in a generation at least. And I think that President Biden and the people around him understand that the status quo between Israel and the Palestinians is intolerable and it is going to lead to chaos and violence indefinitely.

So now you have two of the three parties to this agreement, the Saudis and the Americans, basically asking a new price after October 7th, and saying to the Israelis, if we’re going to do this deal, it has to not only do something for the Palestinians, it has to do something really big. You have to commit to the creation of a Palestinian state. Now, I’ll be specific and say that what you hear the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, say is that the agreement has to include an irreversible time-bound path to a Palestinian state.

We don’t know exactly what that looks like, but it’s some kind of a firm commitment, the likes of which the world and certainly the Israelis have not made before.

Something that was very much not present in the pre-October 7th vision of this negotiation. So much so that, as we just talked about, the Palestinians were left feeling completely out in the cold and furious at it.

That’s right. There was no sign that people were thinking that ambitiously about the Palestinians in this deal before October 7th. And the Palestinians certainly felt like they weren’t going to get much out of it. And that has completely changed now.

So, Michael, once this big new dimension after October 7th, which is the insistence by Saudi Arabia and the US that there be a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state, what is the reaction specifically from Israel, which is, of course, the third major party to this entire conversation?

Well, Israel, or at least its political leadership, hates it. You know, this is just an extremely tough sell in Israel. It would have been a tough sell before October 7th. It’s even harder now.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is completely unrepentantly open in saying that there’s not going to be a Palestinian state on his watch. He won’t accept it. He says that it’s a strategic risk to his country. He says that it would, in effect, reward Hamas.

His argument is that terrorism has forced a conversation about statehood onto the table that wasn’t there before October 7th. Sure, it’s always in the background. It’s a perennial issue in global affairs, but it was not something certainly that the US and Israel’s Arab neighbors were actively pushing. Netanyahu also has — you know, he governs with the support of very right-wing members of a political coalition that he has cobbled together. And that coalition is quite likely to fall apart if he does embrace a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state.

Now, he might be able to cobble together some sort of alternative, but it creates a political crisis for him.

And finally, you know, I think in any conversation about Israel, it’s worth bearing in mind something you hear from senior US officials these days, which is that although there is often finger pointing at Netanyahu and a desire to blame Netanyahu as this obstructionist who won’t agree to deals, what they say is Netanyahu is largely reflecting his population and the political establishment of his country, not just the right-wingers in his coalition who are clearly extremist.

But actually the prevailing views of the Israeli public. And the Israeli public and their political leaders across the spectrum right now with few exceptions, are not interested in talking about a Palestinian state when there are still dozens and dozens of Israeli hostages in tunnels beneath Gaza.

So it very much looks like this giant agreement that once seemed doable before October 7th might be more important to everyone involved than ever, given that it’s a plan for rebuilding Gaza and potentially preventing future October 7th’s from happening, but because of this higher price that Israel would have to pay, which is the acceptance of a Palestinian state, it seems from everything you’re saying, that this is more and more out of reach than ever before and hard to imagine happening in the immediate future. So if the people negotiating it are being honest, Michael, are they ready to acknowledge that it doesn’t look like this is going to happen?

Well, not quite yet. As time goes by, they certainly say it’s getting harder and harder, but they’re still trying, and they still think there’s a chance. But both the Saudis and the Biden administration understand that there’s very little time left to do this.

Well, what do you mean there’s very little time left? It would seem like time might benefit this negotiation in that it might give Israel distance from October 7th to think potentially differently about a Palestinian state?

Potentially. But Saudi Arabia wants to get this deal done in the Biden administration because Mohammed bin Salman has concluded this has to be done under a Democratic president.

Because Democrats in Congress are going to be very reluctant to approve a security agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

It’s important to understand that if there is a security agreement, that’s something Congress is going to have to approve. And you’re just not going to get enough Democrats in Congress to support a deal with Saudi Arabia, who a lot of Democrats don’t like to begin with, because they see them as human rights abusers.

But if a Democratic president is asking them to do it, they’re much more likely to go along.

Right. So Saudi Arabia fears that if Biden loses and Trump is president, that those same Democrats would balk at this deal in a way that they wouldn’t if it were being negotiated under President Biden?

Exactly. Now, from President Biden’s perspective, politically, think about a president who’s running for re-election, who is presiding right now over chaos in the Middle East, who doesn’t seem to have good answers for the Israeli-Palestinian question, this is an opportunity for President Biden to deliver what could be at least what he would present as a diplomatic masterstroke that does multiple things at once, including creating a new pathway for Israel and the Palestinians to coexist, to break through the logjam, even as he is also improving Israel’s relations with Saudi Arabia.

So Biden and the Crown Prince hope that they can somehow persuade Bibi Netanyahu that in spite of all the reasons that he thinks this is a terrible idea, that this is a bet worth taking on Israel’s and the region’s long-term security and future?

That’s right. Now, no one has explained very clearly exactly how this is going to work, and it’s probably going to require artful diplomacy, possibly even a scenario where the Israelis would agree to something that maybe means one thing to them and means something else to other people. But Biden officials refuse to say that it’s hopeless and they refuse to essentially take Netanyahu’s preliminary no’s for an answer. And they still see some way that they can thread this incredibly narrow needle.

Michael, I’m curious about a constituency that we haven’t been talking about because they’re not at the table in these discussions that we are talking about here. And that would be Hamas. How does Hamas feel about the prospect of such a deal like this ever taking shape. Do they see it as any kind of a victory and vindication for what they did on October 7th?

So it’s hard to know exactly what Hamas’s leadership is thinking. I think they can feel two things. I think they can feel on the one hand, that they have established themselves as the champions of the Palestinian people who struck a blow against Israel and against a diplomatic process that was potentially going to leave the Palestinians out in the cold.

At the same time, Hamas has no interest in the kind of two-state solution that the US is trying to promote. They think Israel should be destroyed. They think the Palestinian state should cover the entire geography of what is now Israel, and they want to lead a state like that. And that’s not something that the US, Saudi Arabia, or anyone else is going to tolerate.

So what Hamas wants is to fight, to be the leader of the Palestinian people, and to destroy Israel. And they’re not interested in any sort of a peace process or statehood process.

It seems very clear from everything you’ve said here that neither Israel nor Hamas is ready to have the conversation about a grand bargain diplomatic program. And I wonder if that inevitably has any bearing on the ceasefire negotiations that are going on right now between the two of them that are supposed to bring this conflict to some sort of an end, even if it’s just temporary?

Because if, as you said, Michael, a ceasefire opens the door to this larger diplomatic solution, and these two players don’t necessarily want that larger diplomatic solution, doesn’t that inevitably impact their enthusiasm for even reaching a ceasefire?

Well, it certainly doesn’t help. You know, this is such a hellish problem. And of course, you first have the question of whether Israel and Hamas can make a deal on these immediate issues, including the hostages, Palestinian prisoners, and what the Israeli military is going to do, how long a ceasefire might last.

But on top of that, you have these much bigger diplomatic questions that are looming over them. And it’s not clear that either side is ready to turn and face those bigger questions.

So while for the Biden administration and for Saudi Arabia, this is a way out of this crisis, these larger diplomatic solutions, it’s not clear that it’s a conversation that the two parties that are actually at war here are prepared to start having.

Well, Michael, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

On Tuesday afternoon, under intense pressure from the US, delegations from Israel and Hamas arrived in Cairo to resume negotiations over a potential ceasefire. But in a statement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that even with the talks underway, his government would, quote, “continue to wage war against Hamas.”

Here’s what else you need to know today. In a dramatic day of testimony, Stormy Daniels offered explicit details about an alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump that ultimately led to the hush money payment at the center of his trial. Daniels testified that Trump answered the door in pajamas, that he told her not to worry that he was married, and that he did not use a condom when they had sex.

That prompted lawyers for Trump to seek a mistrial based on what they called prejudicial testimony. But the judge in the case rejected that request. And,

We’ve seen a ferocious surge of anti-Semitism in America and around the world.

In a speech on Tuesday honoring victims of the Holocaust, President Biden condemned what he said was the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in the United States after the October 7th attacks on Israel. And he expressed worry that too many Americans were already forgetting the horrors of that attack.

The Jewish community, I want you to know I see your fear, your hurt, and your pain. Let me reassure you, as your president, you’re not alone. You belong. You always have and you always will.

Today’s episode was produced by Nina Feldman, Clare Toeniskoetter, and Rikki Novetsky. It was edited by Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for The Daily. I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Michael Crowley

Produced by Nina Feldman , Clare Toeniskoetter and Rikki Novetsky

Edited by Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano , Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

If and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a cease-fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East.

Michael Crowley, who covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times, explains why those involved in this plan believe they have so little time left to get it done.

On today’s episode

Michael Crowley , a reporter covering the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times.

A young man is looking out at destroyed buildings from above.

Background reading :

Talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza war are once again at an uncertain stage .

Here’s how the push for a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia looked before Oct. 7 .

From early in the war, President Biden has said that a lasting resolution requires a “real” Palestinian state .

Here’s what Israeli officials are discussing about postwar Gaza.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Michael Crowley covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times. He has reported from nearly three dozen countries and often travels with the secretary of state. More about Michael Crowley

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Check for accolades. If a tour operator has received awards and other recognitions for their itineraries and their service, that can certainly help give confidence. It's a good indication that they are 100% dedicated to your satisfaction and well regarded in the industry. Just pay attention to who gives the awards—if it's an organization ...
4 Travel Scams To Watch Out For Now
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received over 5,000 travel-related consumer fraud complaints tied to COVID-19 totaling over $8 million dollars in losses. Travel losses add up to more than ...
Plan My Tour: All Inclusive Holidays and Package Holidays
Plan My Tour was founded with the aim of providing comprehensive travel solutions and holidays to the ever growing British leisure travel market. We specialize in providing great value Tailor-made Holidays and Flights to destinations all around the world. Plan My Tour Ltd was created to offer you the very best values hotels and other types of ...
Plan My Tour Reviews
Verified Reviewer. " Recent tour to Mijas, Malaga. Good service and hotel. All very smooth. Would use again, though would prefer on line to phone communication. Posted 1 year ago. Plan My Tour is rated 2.0 based on 3 reviews. Plan My Tour has collected 3 reviews with an average score of 2.00.
scam, legit or safe check
The review of planmytour.co.uk is positive. The positive trust score is based on an automated analysis of 40 different data sources we checked online such as the technology used, the location of the company, other websites found on the same web server, etcetera. Websites that score 80% or higher are in general safe to use with 100% being very safe.
14 Major Travel Scams to Avoid in 2024
Avoiding travel scams requires a lot of common sense and a healthy dose of suspicion. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! Here are some of the more universal scams you'll want to avoid: Table of Contents. 1. The taxi overcharge. 2. Your accommodation is "closed". 3.
Paphos Forum
1 post. Fraudulent Company - Plan My Tour. 5 years ago. Just tried to book a holiday with my wife to Paphos through this company. The website had all the details, to which we agreed. Customer advisor took the personal detials, includeing credit card and than said that the cost would go up by £126 per person as it does not include all inclusive ...
Travel Scams That Can Ruin Your Vacation
The 'spilled drink' pickpocket scam. Pickpockets are another common source of scams when you travel. One common pickpocket scam involves someone accidentally spilling something on you and then ...
Plan My Tour Reviews
Plan My Tour have the perfect guide for holidays to make your holidays memorable. You will love the resorts and beach views at your favorite destinations. Our primary goal is to provide you with the best service possible. We will help you before and after your holiday booking. There are many reasons that make Plan My Tour the best holiday ...
Plan My Tour Complaints , Reviews and Scam Reports
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Plan My Tour Reviews
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Is planmyluxe.co.uk Legit?
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Plan My Tour Reviews

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Smooth experience

After a rival agency let us down

Alex found us a holiday for my son’s…

Sheldon was brilliant to deal with

A helpful agent

Alex was very helpful

Plan my tour is a very professional…

Highly recommend

Excellent company

Alex is very helpful in his job.

We have previously booked our package…

Perfect from start to finish Sheldon…

Danny White

Tried for 2 hours to get boarding…

Alex was great

Ron showed exceptional customer service…

Very pleased with the way Mark helped

Helpful service from Cynthia with clear…

I have spoken with Carl this evening he…

Well done and thank you guys!

Fraudulent Company - Plan My Tour - Paphos Forum

Fraudulent Company - Plan My Tour

50 replies to this topic

Paphos Hotels and Places to Stay

6 Travel Scams to Avoid

1. Free or rock-bottom deals

2. Rental-car cons

3. Third-party websites for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs

4. Disappearing vacation rentals

5. Airport and hotel Wi-Fi hacks

6. Tourist visa scams

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Plan My Tour Reviews

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Sheldon rang me to book a holiday and…

Contacted Mark from Plan My Tour

Pre holiday call from Carl…

Marshal made it very easy and done a…

Hotel Arancia done through Mathew

Extremely helpful service and above all…

I have found this company to be very…

Carl made our holiday special and we…

very concise and friendly service!

Another great service from Plan my…

Irvin was very helpful

Danny white was very professional and…

Emma is an excellence customer…

Had a call from Carl about my holiday…

Very Helpful!

This is my 4th booking with this…

Very professional

Marshall dealt with my booking

Holiday Hardy made my experience great he has…

How Can I Tell If a Travel Provider Is Reputable?

Jessica Labrencis

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Fraudulent Company - Plan My Tour - Paphos Forum

Fraudulent Company - Plan My Tour

50 replies to this topic

Paphos Hotels and Places to Stay

Travel Scams That Can Ruin Your Vacation

Overpriced taxis

Tales about overbooked hotels

The ‘spilled drink’ pickpocket scam