Don't get too excited if you get a random call from someone wanting to book a last-minute airline ticket, expensive resort, or high-end category for travel within a few days. Everyone can use the money but scammers know how to take advantage of that.
If you really know the client then that's one thing, but someone who "found you online" or was "recommended by someone else" (which is easy to come up with by doing a quick social media search) can in many cases be a scammer.
There are some things you can do (and we don't profess to know all the ins and outs but hope other agents will comment) and that includes a copy of their driver's license and credit card (which can also easily be falsified) but most importantly a copy of their passport, which is harder to falsify. Either someone will be quick to do that or if they give too many excuses then chances are it's not real and they want to scam you.
Notify us by sending an email to our Support Team at support@bntagents.com when you have a last-minute booking from a client you don't know. Our credit card processor verifies quite a bit of info before they charge a card but not everything and our staff can red flag the booking to accounting who can do some extra research and require additional information. IMPORTANT! As an agent, you are responsible for the payment and you have to ensure that you have all the necessary documentation. BNT will assist but is not responsible for fraudulent activity. At a time when every agent wants and needs to earn that commission it gets even more enticing when clients are traveling in a few days because that commission check is looming, but that's also the time to be extremely cautious.
Considering all the aforementioned, BNT Travel Group leadership would like to remind all independent agents that you need to be very careful when making travel arrangements and accepting/processing payments. Please be advised that you are 100% financially responsible for all of the transactions you make.
