Oklahoma BBB: How To Avoid Summer Vacation Scams

Before you plan a summer vacation, the Better Business Bureau has some advice on how to avoid scams that could cost you money.

Amie Mitchell, who's the CEO of the BBB serving eastern Oklahoma, tells me the first thing you need to look for, when you're booking your travel, is the source of your information, If you found out about your trip through unsolicited emails, phone calls or a "you've won" email, be very careful.

Also, deeply discounted travel packages are a red flag.

She  also tells me when you're there and need a taxi, verify that the meter is working before you start driving. Mitchell knows of scams where, midway through the trip, the driver will say their meter is broken and will end up charging you hundreds of dollars.

Finally, watch out for fake public WiFi hotspots. Scam artists can set up a network using very similar names of businesses in the area, making it look legitimate.

Mitchell says public WiFi is generally not secure, so ask the manager of the place providing the hotspot. If the network you're about to log on to is their secured, WiFi network.