A bad hotel room can ruin your vacation or business trip, so you need to be careful when making your reservations. Hotel websites and online booking sites have great photos andglowing descriptions, but what you see isn't always what you get.

In this episode, tips for booking a room so you don't end up having a nightmarish experience. Plus, what to do if you wind up staying at the Bates Motel.

More from Checkbook:

Hotels: Tips for Finding a Sweeter Stay

Related Consumerpedia Episodes:

#41: Hotel Intel: Finding the Best Rates#86: Travel Tips from a Travel Expert

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Criminals in the U.S. and around the globe are weaponizing artificial intelligence to create scams that are more convincing and more harmful than ever. As AI technology advances, it’s becoming difficult or nearly impossible for the average consumer to tell what’s real from what’s fake.

AI is being used to create bogus celebrity endorsements, fake images, and even write books by non-existent authors. The technology is so easy to use that scammers can pose as someone else and have video conversations with their targets.

In this episode, we’ll explain how fraudsters are using AI to supercharge their deceptions and share tips on how you can protect yourself.

Additional Resources:

Scamplified: How Unregulated AI Continues to Help Facilitate the Rise in Scams

Don’t Get Scammed! Tips For Spotting AI-Generated Fake Products Online

More from Checkbook:

Identity Theft and Fraud: How to Protect Yourself

Fraud Alert: Criminals Pitch Bogus Cryptocurrency Investments

Social Media Scams Are Skyrocketing. Here’s How to Protect Yourself⁠

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Shady contractors are going door-to-door pitching “free” solar energy systems that will eliminate costly electric bills. Most of these fraudsters do shoddy work; some take the money and run. By using high-pressure sales tactics, they get homeowners to sign high-interest contracts that leave them with massive debt.

In this episode: The tricks door-to-door con artists use to sell high-priced solar systems, the facts about solar incentives and tax credits, plus tips on how to find a good solar contractor.

Read Checkbook's full report on solar scams.

Related Consumerpedia Episodes:

#1: How to Hire a Good Contractor

#8: Saving Energy at Home

#10: Here Comes the Sun? Now May Be the Best Time to Go Solar

More from Checkbook:

Thinking About Going Solar?

Small Steps, Big Impact: Save Energy by Making These Free or Inexpensive Changes

Worth the Money: Energy Saving Upgrades that Quickly Pay for Themselves

Resources, Rebates, and Tax Credits to Help You Go Green at Home

Additional Resources:

Center for Responsible Lending: The Shady Side of Solar Financing

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Travel is always a hassle, but this year, it comes with some added twists. There's growing uncertainty about the economy, and concerns about being an American tourist in a foreign country. Will you be welcome?

In this episode: What to expect when booking flights, hotel rooms, or vacation rentals; how to spot travel scams that can ruin your vacation and cost you a bundle; and tips on how to be a respectful and responsible tourist when visiting other countries.

Other Consumerpedia travel episodes:

#60: Avoid a Big Cell Phone Bill When Traveling Abroad
#41: Finding the Best Hotel Rates
#17: How to Find the Best Deals on Airfare

Additional Resources:

60 Strategies for Finding the Best Travel Deals and Avoiding Trouble

Do You Need Travel Insurance? (Spoiler: For Most Trips, Probably Not)

Hotel Intel: How to Find the Best Rates for Rooms

Cell Phone Services: How to Avoid a Big Bill When Traveling Abroad

Tips for Traveling with a PetVisit The Elliott Report to read Christopher Elliott's travel reports and advice. His nonprofit Elliott Advocacy empowers consumers to solve their own problems and helps those who can't.

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Americans are drowning in stuff: clothing, electronics, toys and games, collectibles, and appliances.

Some of us have so much that they need to rent storage units to hold it. Why do so many have the need to buy, buy, buy?

In this episode, author Emily Mester shares personal stories from her new book American Bulk: Essays on Excess about her father’s obsession with shopping and her own tendency to overbuy. Plus, she reveals the tricks she used as a salesperson to encourage customers to make purchases.

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Whether it's a complimentary dessert, an unexpected upgrade to a better hotel room, or you find a $20 bill in your coat pocket, we all like freebies.

The staff at Checkbook sifted through member benefits for credit cards, warehouse clubs, health plans, and AAA. We discovered dozens of perks that are often overlooked. If you don't know about them, you may be missing out on significant savings.

Read Checkbook's full report on free perks.

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Whether you’re planning to buy a new or used vehicle, beprepared for sticker shock. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average new car sold for $48,600 in February. The average used car buyer paid $25,100.  With so much money on the line, you really need to do your homework before driving off with a new set of wheels.

In this episode: The 10 top picks and the latest reliabilityratings from Consumer Reports, advice for anyone considering an electric vehicle, and why used cars are going to cost more this year.

Guests: Mike Quincy, Consumer Reports Autos
Ivan Drury, Director of Insights at Edmunds

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When you have a pest problem, your first move may be to grab the phone and call an exterminator. That makes sense if you have termites or bedbugs, but if it’s some ants or cockroaches in the kitchen or maybe a few mice in the garage, you may be able to do it yourself.

In this episode: DIY solutions for some of the most common household pest problems and what to look for if you hire a pest control company.

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An increasing number of important decisions about yourlife are now made by computer algorithms and artificial intelligence. They do more than suggest movies or music you might like—they're making lending decisions for banks and screening job applicants for employers.

Consumer advocates acknowledge the benefits of AI, but they're also concerned about the potential harm. They want lawmakers and regulators to put guardrails in place to protect consumers.

In this episode, the many ways companies are now using algorithms and AI, how these powerful computer programs make the marketplace less transparent—and, in some cases, less fair—and how the massive amount of data being collected and used to make decisions about lending, employment, housing, and insurance coverage can infringe on privacy rights.

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Americans are piling on credit card debt at an alarming pace, and the unprecedented interest rates on these unpaid balances can be as much as 30% to 35%. No wonder it seems impossible to get out from under it.

But with hard work and proper guidance, you can do it. In this episode: Meet two people who were drowning in credit card debt and got their finances back in order. Also, a certified nonprofit credit counselor explains how debt consolidation works and the dangers of using a for-profit debt settlement company.

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