There is scam to everything from using your debit card at the grocery to making a donation to a charity during the holidays. The internet can be a gateway to getting scammed and booking a hotel room can already be stressful enough. Make sure you use these 3 tricks avoid hotel booking scams online.

1. Double check the price with the hotel.

It’s a not-so-secret secret that we here at Tourist Meets Traveler stand by when it comes to booking a room… ALWAYS call the hotel to book the room. If you find a price on one of those travel aggregators like Orbitz, Travelocity, or Kayak, make sure you call the hotel to book the room. If not because you don’t want a cheap room to go with your cheap price (more explanation on that here), then do it because you are a smart traveler and don’t want to get ripped off. The hotel should be able to tell if you the deeply discounted rate is legit or not. The old adage, “If it’s too good to be true, it usually is,” applies here. If you find a rate that seems incredibly low, check it with the hotel. They will be able to help check if you are being scammed.

2. Check those third party sites aren’t paid ads.

The big sites like Priceline, Orbitz, and Expedia are typically safe, but they can come with pop ups that are scams. Don’t click these foreign but legit sounds buttons even if the deal is insanely sweet. Do a search of the Better Business Bureau before you book with an unfamiliar site. You’ll quickly find any and all formally lodged complaints. The hotel you have called (you followed the tip #1, right?!) will be able to verify if they work with the site.

3. Check the web address.

You should see an image of a small lock next to the web address. If not, get outta there! Also look for the proper https:// followed by the website name. If you see dot or period after the forward slash like https://. then you need to exit the window ASAP.