Hiding and finding “cruise ducks” has become a phenomenon on most major cruise lines and many cruisers now dedicate great expense and time preparing ducks to hide onboard their ship. Sadly, this fun and innocent activity has attracted scammers who are posting to social media (mostly cruise related Facebook and roll-call groups) in an attempt to separate cruisers from their hard-earned dollars.
The original cruise ducks scam involved a post (by a fake Facebook profile) on cruise roll-call groups very similar to this one with photos of dozens of adorable ducks, some appearing handmade:
Then the poster would ask anyone who responds to the initial post to “DM” them at which point they’d ask the well intentioned victim to send a small amount of money to cover shipping the ducks. Alas, there would be no ducks and no recourse for the victim. This original scam ran rampant until enough savvy cruisers caught on and warned fellow group members and administrators.
Sadly, the same basic scam continues to reappear, slightly altered each time, with a whole new group of cruisers falling victim. Here’s the latest version to watch out for…
A fake Facebook profile will post the following photos with text that reads something like:
“I’m 3D printing special [name of cruise ship] ducks like I did on the Vista and would be happy to make one for anyone in the group. Just reply with your name and I’ll create one for you. Thanks!”
Anyone who engages with the post will be asked to send a small amount of money (usually $10) to cover expenses. Again, there will be no duck.
If you see a post like this in one of your groups, please warn your fellow cruisers and alert your admin so they can remove it. It makes me sad and angry to see people taken advantage of in this way, but hopefully we can prevent the latest iteration of this scam from spreading further.
Thanks! Happy cruising! And hunting for (legit) ducks!
Class Dismissed.
I always buy travel insurance to cover my cruises, but I never purchase it through a cruise line. It costs more and usually covers less than policies you purchase on your own. I go through sites like travelinsurance.com* to compare plans and prices and get the best deal for the coverage I want. It’s a simple process – just enter your travel dates, total costs (including hotel, airfare, and cruise fare), and some basic information about yourself and see and compare quotes. Spend less on insurance and spend more on excursions, special onboard cruise experiences and…future cruises!
Homework (10 points): Have you seen this scam (or any others) in any of your cruise groups? Share to the comments.
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