Travel Agents Warn of This ‘Red Flag’ to Avoid Getting Scammed When Booking a Vacation (Exclusive)

Booking a vacation with a travel agent? There’s some red flags to look out for to make sure your trip goes smoothly.

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE, Cathy Diercksen, an independent agent with Marvelous Mouse Travels, reveals what red flags to look out for when booking a vacation through an agency.

Diercksen says, first and foremost, “do your homework.” “Look up the agency, always go to the website, read the reviews, get feedback, go through a person’s Facebook, see if they have reviews, then go to the agency,” says Diercksen. “Don’t just rely on that person’s page.”

“And when you’re making a deposit, it’s always going to go to that vendor,” Diercksen says. “So, if you’re going to book a Royal Caribbean cruise with me, yes, I’m going to collect your payment information. That’s going to go to Royal Caribbean. It’s never going to be run under my agency, Marvelous Mouse Travels.”

It should be a “very big red flag” if a travel agency is requested to be paid directly, rather than money going to the vendor. She tells PEOPLE that she’s seen that happen in the travel industry where people will show up for their departure and nothing is booked.

“I just had somebody reach out to me and told me the same thing. She booked us something to Mexico, they showed up, they had no booking. So, when you’re giving your money, it has to go directly to that vendor.”

Diercksen adds that the agent or agency should never be paying for you. “Even though your travel agent is processing it for you, on your credit card bill, you’re going to see Royal Caribbean, Disney, Universal, Viking Voyages, whatever your vendor is,” she explains.

“Make sure you have documentation,” she advises.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  

Diercksen says that if you were to book something through her own agency, the invoice would have the vendor’s letterhead. She also recommends calling the vendor to verify you have a booking well in advance in the trip, if there’s any doubt.

Overall, Diercksen tells travelers to be smart about booking their travel and be wary of anything even a little off.