Consumer News: The gas pump scam that can drain your card in minutes

New travel data highlights smart strategies to stretch your budget without sacrificing your trip

• Americans are prioritizing Memorial Day travel despite higher costs, with top destinations ranging from major cities like New York and Las Vegas to beach hotspots like Honolulu and Orlando.

• Travelers are getting more strategic to save money, using flexible dates, alternative routes, and less-crowded destinations to find better deals.

• Timing matters: Flying on off-peak days, booking during cheaper weeks, and considering shoulder season travel can help cut costs and avoid crowds.

Memorial Day weekend is shaping up to be a busy one for travelers and not even higher prices are slowing people down.

New data from Skyscanner shows Americans are eager to kick off summer with a getaway, flocking to a mix of bucket-list cities and sunshine-filled escapes.

But while demand is high, the way people are planning their trips is shifting. Travelers are getting more strategic, prioritizing value by booking at the right time, staying flexible with routes, and hunting for destinations that offer more bang for their buck. ConsumerAffairs spoke to Lourdes Losada, Director of the Americas at Skyscanner, who explained that its not about spending less its about spending smarter.

Trending destinations for Memorial Day Weekend

Skyscanners data revealed the top 20 trending destinations for Americans this Memorial Day Weekend based on site visitors searches:

1. New York, New York

2. Los Angeles, California

3. Las Vegas

4. Honolulu, Hawaii

5. Orlando, Florida

6. San Francisco, California

7. Miami, Florida

8. Seattle, Washington

9. Boston, Massachusetts

10. Chicago, Illinois

11. Denver, Colorado

12. Dallas, Texas

13. Washington D.C.

14. Nashville, Tennessee

15. Kahului, Hawaii

16. San Diego, California

17. Portland, Oregon

18. Atlanta, Georgia

19. Houston, Texas

20. New Orleans, Louisiana

There are deals to find

If youre thinking about traveling for Memorial Day or later in the summer, not all prices are rising. Losada broke it all down here:

Prices are not rising on every route, nor at the same rate, which means there are still incredible deals to be found for travelers who can be flexible or are open to exploring less well-known destinations, she said.

Comparing and contrasting dates, providers, departure airports, and destinations will always enable you to find the best deal available for your needs.

Another tip from Losada: Travel the opposite way of the crowd to find better deals.

Around major events or holidays, timing your flight can help you secure the best deals. For example, after Memorial Day, flying home on Wednesday or Thursday is often more affordable than flying on Monday or Tuesday.

Navigating peak travel season

The summer is peak travel season, and knowing how to make the most of your trip and booking responsibly is key.

For starters, Skyscanners data found that the cheapest week of the summer to travel is the week of August 17, 2026, with an average airfare of $515. The cheapest day of the week to travel this summer is Monday.

Losada shared some more tips:

Traveling during peak summer months of July and August often means a big price tag and sometimes even bigger crowds, she said. To get around this, savvy travelers are extending their summer by shifting their vacations to the shoulder season (May/early June and September/October). For travelers who have their heart set on popular destinations, shoulder season is a great way to visit without the crowds or the hefty price tag.

"Flexibility in your travel dates can help you find the best deals, Losada continued. Skyscanner offers a Whole Month search feature that allows you to find the most affordable dates to fly within a specific month. Adjusting your travel days, such as flying on a Tuesday or during off-peak seasons, can further help you achieve significant savings on both flights and accommodations.

But before you book that flight, do a quick hotel search to ensure that what seems like an off-peak season really will be slower, meaning fewer crowds and better deals. Popular destinations like Las Vegas, for example, have conventions and big events year-round, so its worth checking to see if anything is going on nearby that might drive up hotel prices or cause them to book up quickly.

Cybersecurity experts warn that scammers are using fear and urgency to trick people into handing over money and personal information

• Scammers are increasingly posing as FBI agents, using fear and urgency to pressure people into sending money or sharing sensitive information

• Losses from government impersonation have surged, with reports doubling year over year and costing victims hundreds of millions of dollars

• Red flags include unsolicited contact, urgent legal threats, demands for payment, and requests for secrecy and real law enforcement will never ask for money this way

Getting a call from the FBI would rattle just about anyone and scammers are counting on that reaction.

A growing number of fraudsters are posing as federal agents, reaching out by phone, email, or text with alarming claims that pressure people to act fast. Whether its a supposed criminal investigation or a warning about financial trouble, the goal is the same: create panic and push victims into making quick decisions they might not otherwise make.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Silviu Stahie, a security analyst at Bitdefender, who explained that these are becoming more convincing by the day.

Increase in FBI impersonation

Stahie explained that the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Centerreportedreceiving more than 1 million complaints in 2025, and government impersonationalone accounted for over 32,000 complaints andnearly $800 millionin losses.

If we look at 2024, with $400 million in losses from this type ofscam, we can easily see a 100% increase, Stahie said. Unfortunately, thisshowsthatthescamworks, and wecanexpectan increase in the coming years as attacks become more sophisticated.

Scammers are gathering data

For these types of , criminals rarely use a singleinformation source.

They gather data from data breaches, publicly available social media profiles, scraped profiles, and recycled information frompreviousthat worked, Stahie explained. In fact, once someone becomes a victim, theres a good chance that attackers will try again at a later date.

Peopledontrealize just how much personal information about themselves is out there. And, for the most part, thatinformation is shared voluntarily on social media, forums, and many other channels. Even iftheyvebeen careful not to share anything about their private life, the online services people use daily can get compromised.

Know what to look for

Stahie said that despite the increase in sophistication, thesefollow the same pattern. Here are some red flags to look for:

• These usually begin with unsolicited contact and quickly escalate into a situation involving urgency or legal threats.

• Criminals will say that the victims are part of an investigation, have missed a legal obligation, or need to act urgently to avoid consequences.

• The urgency is the first pivot in theattack, ascyber criminalsneed the victims to believe they must act NOW.

• The financial request itself is another big red flag. Any demand for money,especially forwire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, should raise suspicionimmediately.

• Another thing to look for: the pressure for secrecy, asattackersoften warn victims that they cant contact anyone else.

The clearest rule we can follow is simple: no law enforcement agency will ever ask for money or sensitive financial information over the phone or via unsolicited messages, Stahie said.

Healthy skepticism can help

With much of our lives existing digitally, Stahie says that healthy skepticism can be one of the best ways to protect ourselves.

Healthy skepticism is the first line of defense, Stahie said. Any unexpected communication that involves urgency, authority, or financial requests should be treated with the same measure. Close any communication,verify the claims independentlyandcontactlaw enforcement.

Reducing your digital footprint is also vital. The less publicly available personal information, the harder it becomes for scammers to build convincing narratives. On the technical side, tools that filter or block suspicious calls can significantly reduce exposure to these attacks.Freeonlinetools such asReverse Phone Number Lookupscansecurity databases to verify callers anddetermineif a call is safe, spam, or a potentialscam.

The agency claims the companies posed as government employees

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• FTC obtained a temporary restraining order to halt an alleged student loan debt relief scam.

• Operators allegedly impersonated the U.S. Department of Education and collected up to $8.8 million in illegal fees.

• Consumers were charged upfront monthly fees as high as $1,400 for services that did not exist.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has moved to stop what it describes as a widespread student loan debt relief scheme that targeted financially-burdened borrowers with false promises of loan forgiveness.

The agency said it secured a temporary restraining order against companies NERD Solutions Inc. and ED REF Inc., along with their operators, over allegations they misled consumers and collected millions in illegal fees.

According to the FTC, the defendants posed as affiliates of the U.S. Department of Education or legitimate loan servicers, using deceptive telemarketing tactics to reach consumers including thousands listed on the National Do Not Call Registry.

The agency alleges that, beginning in at least February 2022, the operation lured borrowers with claims that they could secure student loan forgiveness or significantly reduce debt. Victims were then charged upfront monthly fees that sometimes reached $1,400, despite federal rules generally prohibiting such advance payments for debt relief services.

Allegedly collected $8.8 million

In total, the scheme is accused of collecting at least $8.8 million from consumers already struggling with student loan obligations.

The FTCs complaint charges the defendants with violating multiple laws, including the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the Impersonation Rule, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

A federal court in the Central District of California granted the temporary restraining order on April 13, 2026, effectively halting the operation while the case proceeds.

The FTC noted that its actions are part of ongoing efforts to combat targeting student loan borrowers. The agency also reiterated that it does not demand upfront payments or promise loan forgiveness, urging consumers to be wary of similar claims and report suspected fraud.

The case remains pending, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.

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