To get the incredible offer, consumers had to immediately give their credit card information. But travelers, who believed they had won a nearly free vacation, complained to the Better Business Bureau of Western Pennsylvania about additional charges assessed to their accounts.

The bureau reported the deals actually ended up costing travelers between $700 and $950 per couple.

According to the bureau, the travel agency, which works under the names Cruise Marketing Group and Great Escape Vacations and Tours Inc., has an unsatisfactory record because of unresolved consumer complaints.

Students can research travel offers that sound too good to be true before accepting. Several agencies, including the Better Business Bureau and the American Society of Travel Agents, will help students determine the reality of the offer.

"College students are the target this time of year because there is such a great number (of people) looking for great deals," said Johnette Lopuszynski, director of public relations and consumer education for the bureau.

Kim Kawa, travel consultant for McAdams Travel World, 103 E. Beaver Ave., warns consumers of deals, especially at this time of year.

"Florida was booked up already in December, for instance," she said. "The only way to really get a good deal is to book far ahead."

Scams can come through telephone calls, postcards or e-mails and often claim the vacation is free. According to the Federal Trade Commission, travel scams cost consumers $12 billion each year.

Students should be aware most scams are not investigated until money is lost.

"We receive a lot of complaints about travel scams from all over Pennsylvania," said Barbara Petito, deputy press secretary for Fisher. "A lot of times, these scams come from out of state and the number of consumers they affect is huge."

If an agency is a member of the Better Business Bureau, then the bureau will have records of any complaints lodged against it or whether the agency has had a good record.

"There is no reason for an agency to not be a member," said Linda Blohme, manager of Spring Break Travel, an agency that has been advertising inexpensive Spring Break vacations in The Daily Collegian. Consumers also should call hotels to ensure their reservation exists, she said.

"One time, some company advertised a hotel in Panama City, but the hotel hadn't given the agency any rooms, so the owner called and had the company stop its advertising," she said.

The National Fraud Information Center's World Wide Web site (www.fraud.org) asks consumers to be skeptical of any calls or postcards offering free or unreasonably inexpensive deals.

The fact an agency is contacting the consumer should send up red flags, Lopuszynski said. If it sounds too good to be true, it is best to contact a travel agent who might be able to find a similar, but more legitimate, deal, she said.

"Always use a credit card to purchase an offer when unsure because you can contest the charges (later)," she added.

The center advises consumers not make any payments until the full offer is received in writing.

The center advises consumers to refuse offers giving them more than a year to take the vacation because the business could be out of operation by the time customers pack their bags.

"It is best to find out how long the agency has been in business," Blohme said.

McAdams Travel World no longer books students on unusual bargains made by disreputable companies because of past fraud problems, including canceled trips and a flight to Daytona Beach that landed in Dayton, Ohio.

"(The fraudulent agencies) are buying in bulk and overselling on purpose, hoping that some other airline will pick (the consumers) up or to give out a voucher. Because there are no laws against it, they get away with it all the time," Kawa said.

The safest action students can take is to plan their own vacations rather than waiting for a possible scam and to research any deals they find.