It's not really a scam, it's creative marketing. Smart, experienced travelers will check out the costs of individual components and decide whether the package is a good deal or a bad deal. Other people will look at the offer and say, " hey, that sounds reasonable" and just book it because of the ease of clicking a single button and being done with it. Many of those people wouldn't have gone to the trouble to think of a destination, check all the prices, and go through multiple booking processes. The ability for the company to suggest a quick, easy getaway that a consumer might not even have considered without the email notice is all good for the company, and mostly good for the customer.

In the words of some immortal Roman, caveat emptor.