If you are planning your next jetsetting vacation, you must be aware of the cyber travel scams taking over the internet. Scammers know there’s money to be had in the travel industry and are ready to capitalize on it. Not only do travel plans require lots of capital, but they also require users to explore websites and companies in foreign countries, making them unprepared to spot the red flags as they are surrounded by new experiences.

Learning about travel scams ahead of your travel planning can help you stay vigilant and protect your data. In today’s blog, we’ll be discussing the most common travel scams and what you can do to avoid them. 

Clone websites

What happens?

Scammers make fake websites that look identical to trusted travel organizations like airlines, hotels, and group tour companies. Victims are led to the site through fake advertisements, social engineering messages, or a mishap during a Google search. 

Thinking they are getting a great deal on a trip, victims give their fiinancial and personal information to the site but later discover they never booked a flight or hotel at all. These scams can result in economic loss for individuals and potential hacking into other accounts.

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What to do

The best way to spot a clone website is to slow down. A deal won’t disappear in a matter of seconds (and if it says it’s going to, it’s likely a scam), so take a few minutes to breathe and analyze the site you’ve landed on. Ask yourself these questions:

• Is the domain the official domain of the company? Look closely at every letter and punctuation. 
• Have I purchased from this exact domain before? Did I end up receiving the service I bought?
• How did I get to this site? Did I come through an advertisement or DM? What happens if I search for the website – Is it the same?
• Does this deal seem too good to be true?

Brand impersonation

What happens

Another scam you could see when booking your next vacation is brand impersonations. Clone websites are a big part of this, but you’ll also see social media accounts, phone calls, and text messages using brand impersonation techniques. 

Brand impersonation is when a scammer uses a brand’s logo, colours, and other brand identifiers to trick a victim into giving their financial and personal information. Another example of brand impersonation is if a social media account is holding a “FREE Giveaway for a week-long stay in Punta Cana”.  The giveaway itself may be a scam, but even if not, you may receive messages from other accounts pretending to be the brand to get your financial information. 

What to do

Always go to the sites and social media accounts on your own. Never book a trip through a DM message or “Giveaway” given to you through social media. Instead, search for the brand website yourself or call the customer service number that you find on the internet. 

Fake customer service accounts

What happens

Have you ever been disappointed in a service and taken it to Twitter or Instagram to share your thoughts? Scammers know this is a practice for many frustrated customers. They take advantage of the disappointing services of businesses, make their own “Company ABC Customer Service” profile, and act as if they can help you solve your issue. In reality, they are trying to prey on the individual’s frustration to obtain any personal or financial information. 

An example of this would be if a victim were to take to Twitter to complain about their lost luggage from ABC Airlines. The ABC Airlines representative is nowhere to be found, so a scammer swoops in with an account title @abcairlineshelpdeskk, only one letter off of their real username. The fake account assures the victim that they will be financially compensated for their lost bag if they could just provide their credit card information for the refund…

What to do

The best way to file a complaint is directly through the brand. Find the company’s customer service page on their verified website and call or email your complaint. If you still feel like your needs aren’t being met and that taking to social media is a necessary step, always verify the customer service account. A great way to spot if the customer service account is real is to check if the official brand account follows them. An official brand account would never follow an unverified source. 

Wi-Fi hub scam 

What happens

When you are in a remote area or new country, you may be on the hunt for a place with free Wi-Fi. But, beware of unlocked Wi-Fi networks. Some “Wi-Fi hubs” or “Wi-Fi cafes” have the intention of stealing login information, personal data, and financial data through the malicious network. 

Additionally, even working in a trusted location with public Wi-Fi can be dangerous. Forbes states that the top places for having your data compromised from a public network are restaurants/cafes, hotels, and airports. Although it’s not the intention of the Wi-Fi owners to scam you, other cyber criminals can still work to hack the network and install malicious software on your computer or find your protected data. 

What to do

Never use public Wi-Fi without a VPN. A VPN (Virtual Private Network) hides your IP address and encrypts your data so it is safer to use this public or unknown network. Before travelling, find and download a VPN that works for you and use it at any hotels, airports, or any other stops along the way. 

Concert ticket scams 

What happens

Scammers hack into Facebook profiles and act as the user selling tickets to a concert they can “no longer attend”. This scam has recently upped in popularity following the launch of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

What looks like a normal post from one of your friends trying to sell their concert tickets, is actually a scammer waiting in the weeds to pounce. Once you message the scammer, they’ll ask you to send money to a PayPal account and you’ll never see the money again – or the concert!

What to do

Be wary of any friends posting on Facebook, Instagram, or direct messaging you about concert tickets. If the concert tickets interest you, try calling or texting the contact on another platform to ensure that it isn’t a hacked account. To be even more safe, you can offer to pay the friend in person when you see them next. 

Travelling should be a time of enjoyment and adventure, not a time to worry about cyber security threats. By being aware of these common scams and following the recommended precautions, you can protect yourself from becoming a victim. Always verify the legitimacy of websites, communications, and services before sharing personal information or making purchases. Stay cautious and informed, and you can enjoy your travels with peace of mind.