International Driving Permits
AAA warns motorists traveling abroad to avoid online driver license scams
WASHINGTON, DC (August 7, 2008) - AAA is urging US residents who plan to drive while traveling abroad to avoid purchasing fraudulent International Driving Permits (IDP), especially over the Internet.
Authentic IDPs and Inter-American Driving Permits (IADPs) are official translations of a motorist's driver's license for use when driving in another country. AAA is one of just two organizations authorized by the US State Department to sell the documents to valid US driver's license holders (the American Automobile Touring Alliance is the other). An IDP costs $15 from AAA and can be purchased by anyone 18 years or older who presents a valid US driver's license at any of the more than 1,100 AAA offices around the country, or by mail following instructions at www.AAA.com/vacation/idpc.html.
"A fraudulent IDP or IADP could result in legal problems or travel delays if a person is detained while using it to drive in a foreign country," said Doug Bower, vice president of Travel for AAA. "People who buy them from fraudulent online brokers and spam e-mailers are wasting their money."
The Federal Trade Commission has previously alerted consumers to these scams, while putting the offending marketers on notice that this conduct will not be tolerated. According to AAA, these scams can lead innocent travelers to spend hundreds of dollars for false documents. The FTC's consumer alert on IDPs can be found on its web site at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/idpalrt.shtm.
Comments
Post new comment