What the experts say

Avoiding hotel scams; How debt collectors track their prey; Time to prioritize your bills

Avoiding hotel scams

Beware of hotel booking sites bearing deals, said Alina Tugend in The New York Times. In what travel experts label “a systemic industry problem,” a growing number of customers are being duped “by promises of great deals” on official-looking websites. But in reality, they are being pushed to affiliate sites, incurring unwanted charges, and getting lost in a maze of fine print and Byzantine booking policies. Customers looking to book online should be “careful of what you click,” avoiding third-party sites and, whenever possible, booking directly from the hotel website. And if you need another reason to “always pay online with a credit card,” here it is: Unlike debit cards or money orders, you can dispute unwanted credit card charges before paying up.

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