Before you book that spring break trip, here is what you need to know

Spring break is right around the corner, and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, many are still looking to travel.

If you're willing to travel there are a lot of deals for spring break and beyond, but among those deals are scams.

The biggest problem Troubleshooter Diane Wilson hears about often from viewers involves third-party booking sites.

While you may find deep discounts on these sites, if you read the fine print, you aren't booking directly with the hotel or airline, and when there is a problem, you often are not protected.

Travelers lost millions of dollars last year to vacation scams. Many of those losses involved travel companies that shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One example is Bookit.com which left customers with no trip and out thousands of dollars.

You also need to watch out for fake rental sites that just steal legit photos from vacation rentals or hotels and take your money. Catherine Honeycutt with the BBB of Eastern North Carolina says, "See if the site is credible. If they are offering you free miles with a certain airline, reach out to that airline and see if that is legitimate."

Top 5 vacation scams to be on the lookout for according to the BBB

• Vacation Rental Con
• "Free" Vacation Scams
• Hotel Scams
• Third-Party Booking Site Scams
• Timeshare Reselling Scams

Before you book any travel, look at the fine print and cancellation policy very carefully. Also, consider travel insurance and make sure it has a COVID-19 policy and that you know exactly what it covers.

You also need to be aware of the COVID-19 restrictions and requirements of where you are traveling to and from. For any international travel, to get back into the US, you are required right now to have a negative COVID-19 test within three days of flying back into the US.

Another tip is to always try and pay with a credit card, it gives you the best protection if something goes wrong.