In the mountains, a ski instructor scam can really embarrass you and cause you to lose a lot of money.
If for several years it has been the lack of snow that has caused concern, another problem is increasingly common in ski resorts. This is a very well-established ski instructor scam and you can easily fall for it…
This scam can first take the form of fake ski lessons. Today, it is possible to book your ski lessons in just a few clicks on the internet. The increase in ads and offers on social networks has obviously given fraudsters ideas. It is very annoying to book lessons only to end up alone at the bottom of the slopes, even more so if you have already spent a lot of money… The scammers ask you to pay for your lessons before your arrival in the resort and then disappear.
If you book online courses that seem cheaper, be wary. This so-called ski instructor may simply not exist. Such scams happen every year in resorts as stated by Sébastien Mérignargues, director of Avoriaz 1800, to Le Figaro: “We receive one or two people per season for this type of scam. In general, we manage to find an instructor recognized for a few hours of lessons here and there”.
You may also come across an instructor who actually doesn’t even have the right to practice but who will still give you hours of lessons. Since skiing can be a dangerous sport, you can’t trust just anyone to teach you how to go down the slopes. Additionally, scammers have no liability insurance if anything happens to you. You will therefore not be able to receive any financial compensation if you are injured during class, for example.
The solution is simple: you must go through a well-known ski school to avoid taking any risks. There is also the possibility of booking your ski hours directly on site. Be careful, however, during school holidays, and more particularly for children’s courses, places and best time slots are quickly taken by storm.