Tips for a Phishing-Free New Year When Booking and Managing Vacation Rentals

SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 02/09/12 -- Last year the travel industry experienced an increase in "cybercrime" threats against travel professionals and their customers. To help mark 2012 as the year when the number of victims decreases, CSA Travel Protection (CSA), a Europ Assistance Group company dedicated for the past 20 years to providing affordable travel insurance and emergency assistance services, offers tips to help protect from phishing scammers.

Phishing attacks, or fake email and other lures that persuade consumers to provide confidential and personal information, are rising by as much as 20 percent each month, according to the most recent Symantec State of Phishing reports. Travel agents, vacation rental owners and managers, and travelers alike must be vigilant in ensuring their trip planning information isnt compromised. To help them do this, CSA recommends that:

• Travel professionals and rental owners
  • Beware of anyone offering to pay more than the asking rate for a property
  • Pay special close attention to any email received requesting information or action to click a link. No legitimate financial institution will ask for personal information via email.
  • Install anti-phishing software on your computer to protect it from invaders.
• Travelers
  • Confirm that the actual rental property is truly available at the time requested by calling the property manager directly.
  • Contact the rental property manager -- by phone -- if anything seems too good to be true or just feels wrong, such as an "unheard of" rate offer or request for personal information via email.
  • Check for bad grammar. Vacation rental owners and managers are professionals. If a scammer overseas is posing as one, this can sometimes be a first clue.
  • Never wire money or send via an unsecure payment method. There is no way to track it or have it returned should something go wrong. Use a credit card or PayPal, which offer protection.

About CSA Travel Protection
CSA Travel Protection, a Europ Assistance Group company, is dedicated to providing affordable travel insurance and emergency assistance services to protect travelers valuable investments and provide the peace of mind one deserves while traveling. Now celebrating its 20-year anniversary, CSA has developed a reputation for standing behind its customers and by offering products and services to meet their needs. Through superior customer service, extensive experience and industry-leading innovation, CSA is with its clients every step of the way, whenever and wherever they are needed.

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