After a long dreary winter, a perfectly timed email from a travel agency or website offers a "once-in-a-lifetime" vacation deal. Don't get caught up in your dreams of a getaway before double checking the fine print.

In the most common form of this scam, a phony travel agency requires you to pay a service charge – or to purchase a travel club membership – in order to qualify for the steeply discounted package.

Once you pay in advance via credit card or wire transfer – the perpetrators are long gone – along with your dream vacation.

There are many legitimate travel offers out there, so follow these tips to make sure your trip doesn't become a nightmare.

·Perform an online search of the company or travel agency, particularly if you haven't heard of them, to make sure they are legit.

·Check all the cost details. Find out which expenses you are expected to cover. Do you pay for hotel, timeshare resort or other lodging? What about transportation?

·Get a copy of the company's cancellation and refund policies.

·Verify your reservations and arrangements by contacting the resort/hotel, airline yourself.

·Pay by credit card so you have more protections than paying by cash or check. And never wire money; once the money is sent, there is no way to get it back.

·Consider the DIY approach: booking plans yourself through online travel apps or a respected travel agency may be the safest bet.

For information about other scams, sign up for AARP's Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/ money/scams-fraud/fraud-watch-network. You'll receive free email alerts with tips and resources to help you spot and avoid identity theft and fraud and gain access to a network of experts, law enforcement and people in your community who will keep you up to date on the latest scams in your area.