It’s bad enough that increasing numbers of seniors are being pummeled with fraud and deception by mail and telephone. But now, as we pointed out in last week’s column, our oldest and often most vulnerable citizens face a new and even more insidious threat as thousands of older folks are going online and becoming cybervictims. Take Alan and Ida Anderson of Cherryfield for example.

The Andersons, retired and on a very limited income, had decided to take their dream trip to California to visit their grandchildren. Their adventure included a leisurely cross-country train ride and a stopover in Denver because they had always wanted to see the Rockies.

Knowing that the trip itself would be costly, Alan sought ways to minimize expenses along the way by shopping the Internet for special deals on hotel accommodations, meals and entertainment. His search turned up an outfit calling itself On the Cheap Travel in Boca Raton, Fla., that offered excursion coupon booklets for major U.S. cities. The Web site offered a booklet for Denver visitors that promised “$1,200 of fun for $69.99!” Alan read through the list of discounts, and it seemed like a good deal, so he purchased the booklet online.

The booklet soon came and several weeks later Alan and Ida were leaving Chicago for Los Angeles on Amtrak’s California Zephyr. It was all good until they got to Denver. “The motel was so far away from the train station that it cost almost $30 for the taxi,” Alan later reported. He further described the establishment as “sleazy” and that “the room was dirty and smelled like cigarette smoke.” Further, the motel refused to honor the 25 percent discount offered on the coupon because it had expired. Sure enough, when Alan checked the very fine print on the coupon, the offer had actually expired three weeks before he even ordered the booklet.

Chagrined to say the least, the Andersons unpacked, freshened up and readied for a night on the town in a nice restaurant for which they had a “buy one meal and receive another of equal or lesser value for free” coupon.

After another ($10) taxi ride to the restaurant, the Andersons got their second surprise. “The eatery was a high end joint where the cheapest thing on the menu was $39.00, and all it amounted to was a bed of grass with a sliver of something on top that looked like it fell off a chicken,” Alan complained. Even worse, when they tried to use the coupon, the Andersons were told the offer was only good on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It was Thursday. Again, they had been robbed by the fine print.

There were many more disappointments over the next three days of the Anderson Denver adventure, but let’s just say that the coupon booklet was hardly worth the paper upon which it was printed. They finished their trip to California, returned to Maine by jet, called On the Cheap Travel to complain, and after receiving no satisfaction, Alan contacted COMBAT.

It took a few go-arounds with the Florida company by phone and mail, but within two months COMBAT was able to secure a $69.99 refund for the Andersons who had learned the following lessons for the next trip.

Don’t buy sight unseen items from unfamiliar sources on the Internet – or anywhere else, for that matter. Do your vacation planning with a local travel agency that can often arrange special deals and discounts in the city of your destination. If you are a senior shopper, check with reputable organizations like AARP for similar savings. And if you believe you have been victimized by a fraud or scam, let us know so we can try to help and warn others.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT-Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded, nonprofit consumer organization. Individual membership $25, business rates start at $125 (0-10 employees). For help and information write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.