Is Booksi legit or a scam? An overview and customer opinions

Travel is expensive, so it’s natural for would-be vacationers to look for bargains. But travel fraud, of which more than 1,500 cases were reported to the BBB in 2024, exploits travelers’ desire for affordable getaways, luring them in with promises of bargain bookings, then doing a bait-and-switch — or just taking their money and disappearing into the sunset.

Before you disclose any personal details to a booking site or pay for your stay, it’s important to verify if the business is legit or a scam. Booksi has received numerous customer complaints on Reddit, BBB, Trustpilot, and other platforms, with some unhappy vacationers calling it a scam. Reviews cite fake reservations, ghosting after payment, and denied refund requests.

Let’s take a deeper dive into such claims to explore whether Booksi is legit or a scam.

What is Booksi?

Booksi is a travel platform offering a wide variety of vacation packages across the globe, including at luxury hotels and resorts, at steeply discounted rates (up to 83%, according to the Booksi website).

Booksi is owned by Monster Reservations Group, a U.S.-based company offering vacation booking services. It claims an A rating on BBB, although on BBB’s website, the company is rated B.

Booksi acts as a middleman, offering deals from hotels and wholesalers and advertising deep discounts to customers, supposedly thanks to its ability to book in bulk. Customers are required to attend a sales presentation or “resort preview” to be eligible for the largest discounts.

To reserve a Booksi vacation, users must enter their contact and payment information. However, many customers have complained that their booking isn’t confirmed after payment, or that the hotel claims to have no record of their reservation, even if the user received a confirmation email from Booksi.

Is Booksi legit?

Booksi presents itself as a legitimate business, and its parent company, Monster Reservations Group, is accredited by the BBB, albeit with a B rating. Customers have, however, voiced concerns about Booksi in reviews on Reddit, Trustpilot, BBB, and other platforms.

Third-party travel sites can be easy pickings for scammers, and even very established sites such as Airbnb can inadvertently house fraudsters. It seems that while Booksi is a legit business, many customers feel scammed after booking through Booksi.

What customer reviews have to say about Booksi

With a tepid TrustPilot rating of 3.6 at the time of writing, Booksi obviously has plenty of happy jetsetters, but many others are less than content. Customer reviews flag hidden fees, poor communication, and pushy sales tactics as a few of the cons of booking with Booksi.

Here are some of the most commonly cited issues with Booksi, as mentioned by customers:

Hidden fees

Hidden fees after booking are a commonly reported holiday scam associated with Booksi, with customers citing additional fees such as parking and resort fees. Some reviewers also described feeling harassed by persistent upselling attempts: they felt pressured to pay for extras on top of their chosen holiday package.

Bait and switch

Other reviewers have complained of bait-and-switch tactics, with the dates they wanted being unavailable after payment, or the hotel they booked being substituted with another, less appealing hotel.

Lack of communication

Many reviewers have expressed frustration with poor communication, including a lack of confirmation, no dates being offered once the booking was complete, and being on the phone with customer service for hours.

High-pressure sales tactics

Some Booksi customers have complained of pushy sales tactics, with sales representatives urging them to rush into a decision or upgrade their trips, making customers feel as if they’re being tricked into paying more. This is a common social engineering tactic that relies on pressuring people to make a decision without thinking.

What are the risks of using Booksi?

Using a site like Booksi comes with many of the inherent risks of booking with any budget website, such as hidden fees and information being shared with third parties. But more sinister pitfalls of Booksi include bait-and-switch holiday packages and being ghosted after payment.

Here are some of the biggest risks associated with Booksi:

• Sharing information with third parties. When you book a holiday through Booksi, they share your information with their suppliers, which naturally increases the risk of your data leaking. This is true of most middleman booking sites.
• Risk of additional charges. The promotional rate initially shown by Booksi may not apply once you book your trip, and there may be additional “resort fees” you have to pay. These hidden fees can make customers feel like they’ve been scammed.
• Potential location changes. Booksi admits that the availability of a specific hotel can only be viewed after purchase, meaning some customers are unable to select their preferred dates. They may be offered an alternative location, resulting in a bait-and-switch.
• Difficulty getting a refund. Although Booksi claims to offer a seven-day refund period after booking, many customers have claimed they were unable to secure a refund or contact customer service.

How to avoid Booksi scams

To avoid Booksi scams, it’s important to read the terms and conditions meticulously so you fully understand what you’re signing up for. Carefully consider the potential hidden costs.

Here are some tips on how to avoid travel booking scams when using a site like Booksi.

• Read the terms and conditions carefully. The devil is in the details, and Booksi’s fine print might come as a nasty surprise to customers; for example, some claim they have incurred fines for failing to attend the resort’s sales presentation.
• Be aware of hidden costs. Resort fees, travel insurance, and other additional costs can come as a shock, making customers feel misled or leading them to question whether Booksi is a scam.
• Verify booking details. Review your booking and ensure everything looks correct to avoid misunderstandings. If you notice any issues, contact customer service immediately.
• Be wary of high-pressure tactics. Even if Booksi is legit, upselling remains a common sales tactic. Don’t let social engineers pressure you into something you’ll regret, and never make important decisions in the heat of the moment.
• Use a strong password. Safeguard your personal information and account with a strong password that’s unique to that site.

Spot travel scams before they get you

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FAQs

Is Booksi a timeshare?

Booksi is not a timeshare per se, but it is associated with timeshare promotions. Its homepage states: “This advertising material is being used for the purpose of soliciting the sale of timeshare interests.” Many of the vacation packages offered through Booksi require participation in a timeshare sales presentation.

Does Booksi require a timeshare presentation?

Booksi states on its FAQ pages that a “resort preview” is required in order to get the lowest rates. It is possible to decline this presentation, but this may make you ineligible for discounts.

Do you need to pay a membership fee to join Booksi?

Booksi’s website does not indicate that a membership fee is required to book a trip. However, Booksi admits that some resorts require an additional “resort fee,” so it’s important to read the Terms and Conditions of a package before booking to ensure there are no additional fees.

How common are travel scams?

Travel scams were rated the eighth riskiest scam in the 2024 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report. This is up from number 10 in 2023, with exposure to these types of scams and the median loss reported on the rise.

How do you know if a booking site is legit?

You can help verify whether a booking site is legit by checking customer reviews on TrustPilot, TripAdvisor, and similar sites, and reading the booking site’s Terms and Conditions page.