1. Fake and mis-sold theme-park tickets
Sellers offer cut-price Disney or Universal tickets through Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, roadside booths on International Drive, or by meeting buyers near the airport — claiming to be employees offloading complimentary passes or reselling partially used tickets. The tickets are counterfeit, already used, or invalid, and the family discovers it at the turnstile. Orlando-area police have arrested repeat offenders, including a man charged with selling 13 fraudulent Disney World tickets to one family of tourists.
Warning signs
- Tickets sold by individuals on classified sites or roadside stands far below gate price
- A story about 'employee complimentary tickets'
- Cash-only transactions or meetings arranged at the airport or a parking lot
- Tickets that look faded, blurry, or show a prior scan history
How to avoid it
- Buy only from the official Disney/Universal sites or authorized resellers such as AAA or Undercover Tourist
- Look for the word 'authorized' before trusting any discount ticket seller
- Never buy 'partially used' multi-day tickets — they are non-transferable
- Pay by credit card so a fraudulent purchase can be disputed
2. The 'free gift' timeshare presentation trap
Touts in the tourist corridor offer free or steeply discounted theme-park tickets, dinners or cash cards for attending a '90-minute' resort presentation. The session turns into an hours-long, high-pressure timeshare pitch, and people who buy under pressure often find cancellation difficult even within the stated cooling-off period. Timeshare sales practices are among the top complaints handled by the Florida Attorney General, which advises consumers that they always have the right to walk out.
Warning signs
- Free park tickets or gifts offered in exchange for 'just a short presentation'
- The presenter says the offer expires today
- You're discouraged from reading the contract or taking it away
- Difficulty getting the promised gift without sitting through the full pitch
How to avoid it
- Assume any free-ticket-for-presentation offer costs you half a vacation day plus a hard sell
- Leave the room if the pitch becomes aggressive — you legally can
- Never sign same-day paperwork; take the contract away and read the cancellation clause
- File complaints with the Florida AG (1-866-9-NO-SCAM) if you feel defrauded
3. Timeshare resale advance-fee fraud
Owners trying to sell an Orlando-area timeshare get cold calls claiming a buyer is 'waiting in the wings' — they just need to pay listing fees, taxes or closing costs upfront. After payment, the sale never happens and refunds vanish. The scheme was rampant enough that Florida passed the Timeshare Resale Accountability Act, which bars misrepresenting buyer interest and requires written agreements, a 7-day cancellation right and refunds within 20 days; federal officials have logged tens of thousands of related complaints.
Warning signs
- An unsolicited call claiming a ready buyer for your timeshare
- Any upfront fee for listing, appraisal, taxes or 'closing costs'
- Claims that the resale market in your resort's area is 'hot'
- Payment demanded by wire, cash or money order
How to avoid it
- Never pay upfront fees to sell a timeshare — legitimate brokers are paid at closing
- Verify the company with the Florida AG and the Better Business Bureau before engaging
- Get everything in writing and use your 7-day cancellation right if you sign
- Report resale fraud to myfloridalegal.com or the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Sources
4. Rental-car cashless toll ripoffs
Orlando's expressways are largely cashless, and some rental companies exploit that: customers who decline the daily toll package are hit with per-toll 'administrative' fees, or are misled into buying products like PlatePass they don't need. The Florida Attorney General secured refunds and an enforceable settlement with Dollar Thrifty after finding consumers were charged $15 per toll (up to $105 in fees) without adequate disclosure, and were misled about PlatePass, which cost $10.49 per rental day.
Warning signs
- A daily toll-package charge added without clear explanation
- Claims that you must buy the toll product to avoid fines
- Per-toll 'service fees' far exceeding the tolls themselves
- Counter staff who can't explain how to pay tolls yourself
How to avoid it
- Ask exactly how tolls are billed before signing, and photograph the rental agreement
- Pick up the free Visitor Toll Pass hangtag at Orlando International Airport, run by the Central Florida Expressway Authority
- Use your own transponder if compatible, or plan routes avoiding toll roads
- Dispute undisclosed toll fees with your card issuer and complain to the Florida AG
Practical safety briefing
- Airport arrival: At Orlando International (MCO), use the official taxi ranks and the designated rideshare pickup zones; ignore anyone soliciting rides inside the terminal. If renting a car, sort out the toll plan at the counter or grab the free Visitor Toll Pass in the terminal before driving onto the 528/417 cashless expressways.
- Trusted transport: Uber/Lyft and metered taxis from official ranks; the I-Ride Trolley on International Drive; hotel shuttles to the parks. A rental car is the norm for most families — book a major brand and photograph the contract.
- Money & payments: Cards are accepted universally in the tourist corridor. Buy park tickets only from official channels or authorized resellers, and check restaurant bills on I-Drive for automatic gratuity before tipping.
Official travel advisories
- Florida Attorney General's Office — Official consumer guidance on timeshare sales and resale fraud — a top complaint category — including your right to leave presentations and cancel resale agreements.
- Florida Attorney General's Office — Settlement requiring Dollar Thrifty to refund and clearly disclose cashless-toll and PlatePass fees after customers, including many visitors, were misled.
Compiled from documented reports and government advisories. How we verify scams. Last verified July 2026.