It is a nice afternoon and you are sitting comfortably, enjoying a good time at your home, and just when you think that things cannot go any better, the phone rings. It is a travel agent, letting you know that you just won a cruise trip! Sounds great, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, if something like this happens to you, most probably you are about to be conned.

There a lot of companies working hard to get your money, through scams and cons. One of them gives away cruises for free or at a very reasonable (or should I say unreasonable?) prices. It is important that you are aware that this scam is going on, so that you can avoid becoming a victim.

They way they work, is by calling you and telling you that you won a free cruise, or that you are eligible for a special offer. In both cases, either because they are charging you a small price for the cruise or because they claim that you need to pay only for the port fees, the agent will try to get your credit card information.

Once they have this information, they will be able to place any charges they wish to on to your credit card. If this is not the case, and you are actually offered a free cruise, be prepared for the worse experience in your life. Remember that nothing comes for free, so be sure that these people are on to something.

If you have never been on a cruise you are probably excited for this whole new experience. And if you have been on a cruise before, you are ready to enjoy some classy and elegant time. But you will be shocked when you see the ship you will be traveling on: A dirty and awfully smelly ship.

There is nothing classy about this free cruise, that is for sure. The food is terrible, the pools are shut down, the rooms are so small you can barely fit in them, and when you think it cannot go worse, the true colors of your free cruise are revealed. You are about to go through one of the worst scams ever.

You will be “asked” to attend a timeshare sales presentation. If you decide you do not want to, they will add up more charges to your credit card. They claim they work with Ramada Inn hotels, but it is not true. You will be staying at a hotel whose name includes the word Ramada, but they are definitely not Ramada Inn.

Plus, the hotels are fifteen miles from the beach, in an ugly and dangerous area. Of course, you cannot expect to get a refund. A lot of people tried to and were unsuccessful. So be aware, this is nothing else than a timeshare scam. You will end up spending a lot of money.

Most of their victims are currently working with attorneys and with the B.B.B, but where not successful in getting their money back yet. It is highly advisable that you do your research before accepting an offer for a cheap cruise; most probably it is a scam. Remember the old saying, if it is too good to be true, then it probably is.