August is one of the busiest vacation months of the year, and up to 80 percent of travelers book their trips or hotel reservations online. But with modern convenience comes risk - around 15 million hotel booking scams take place each year, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association. This adds up to $1.3 billion of fraudulent reservations annually. Here's how to avoid travel/vacation scams:1. Only use reputable service providersStick to popular companies like Expedia or Priceline. When using a travel search engine like Kayak, choose options from recognizable brands. 2. Don't make a hotel reservation directly through its websiteAccording to Panda Security on Thursday, hotels often neglect their networks' online security, especially if it's privately owned. Last month, 14 Trump Hotels were hit by a data breach that exposed guests' cardholder names, account numbers, payment card expiration dates and possibly security codes. The Hard Rock Cafe & Casino franchise was also impacted by a breach from August 10, 2016 to March 9, 2017. It's advised to make a reservation through a verified third-party site, which will often provide perks like free cancellations and breakfast.3. Use credit cards to make reservations/book vacationsMost credit card providers offer protection against cyber thieves. Don't trust services that require payments made with debit cards, checks or wire transfers. 4. Confirm the reservation Call a hotel directly once you've made a reservation to ensure the payment was processed correctly. 5. Use anti-virus protection when browsingThe smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer used to make a booking should have anti-virus software installed. This will alert users if they stumble across a website that may be a scam.