Highlights
- INTERPOL has issued a warning regarding a fraudulent practice involving airline ticket booking.
- Cybercriminals are using credit card information to purchase airline tickets to trick users online.
- They are subsequently selling the tickets to gullible users looking for discounts through illicit channels.
It’s a festive time around the world, and lots of people are excitedly planning trips to be with family or enjoy a vacation.
Airlines are joining in the fun by offering discounts on tickets as part of special events and holidays.
But be careful – scammers are using this excitement to trick people.
There’s a tricky scam going around with airline tickets.
Bad people are getting hold of stolen credit card information to buy tickets.
Then, they sell these tickets at really cheap prices. The International Criminal Police Organization is warning everyone about this.
Let’s understand how this scam works and how you can stay safe.
What is the Airline Ticket Scam According to INTERPOL?
In the Airline Ticket Scam, criminals use stolen credit card details to buy airline tickets.
They then sell these tickets at low prices through websites or social media that look real but are actually fake.
These sites seem like they belong to real travel agencies.
When you try to buy tickets from these websites, the scammers ask for immediate payment.
It could be in cash, through a bank transfer, or using virtual currencies.
After they get your money, they send you a confirmation for your flight.
But, they delete the information about where they really bought the ticket.
Buying a flight ticket this way might not seem harmful, but it’s a big scam with serious problems.
If the owner of the stolen credit card reports the fraud before your flight, you might get stuck at the airport.
Even if the owner reports it later, the credit card company can cancel the charge, and you won’t have a way to get home.
So, be careful and make sure your tickets are from a trustworthy source!
Besides the risk of getting stuck, buying stolen airline tickets also helps bad guys.
The money you give for these tickets goes straight to criminals, and they use it for serious crimes.
How to Spot Fake Discounts?
Detecting this kind of fraud is hard, according to Interpol.
Scammers make fake websites and social media accounts that look real. They might even steal the identity of a real travel agent.
To know if a flight ticket sale is fake, watch out for –
- Super Cheap Tickets: If the ticket costs way less than others, it might be a trick to get your money in a scam.
- Last-Minute Dates: Scammers often sell tickets just a day or two before the flight. They do this hoping to use the time between buying and the real owner cancelling the transaction.
- Cash or Bank Transfer Payments: If they ask you to pay with cash or through a bank transfer, be careful. Once your money is gone, it’s hard to get back.
- Check the Agency’s Info: Real travel agencies have a complete address and a landline phone number. If this info is missing, check to ensure the agency is real before buying anything.
How to Stay Safe From Airline Ticket Scams?
Follow these tips to book airline tickets safely –
- Direct Booking: Buy tickets directly from the airline or a trustworthy travel agency certified by your country’s authorities.
- Secure Websites: For online buys, use secure websites with “https” at the start of the web address.
- Research the Agency: Before buying, check if the travel agency is legit. Read reviews online and make sure they have reliable contact info.
- Read Terms and Conditions: Before paying, read the rules. Pay attention to the refund policy and how it works.
FAQs
What are some latest travel and airline scams that every traveller should know about?
To avoid scams while booking your next travel tickets online, you need to know exactly what to look for. Here are the latest airline scams that are ruining people’s travel plans –
- Bogus flight-booking websites
- Sudden price increases
- Enticing deals for last-minute tickets
- Fake flight cancellation emails
- “Declined” credit card payments
- Robocalls offering “free” vacations
- Fake airline customer support
How does an Airline price increase scam work?
Airline price increase scams have been extremely prevalent for some time now.
This is how it works – After you search through different websites and find cheap flights online, you will contacted by someone claiming to be the travel agency or airline.
The fraudster will tell you over the phone that there are either additional fees you need to cover, or that the flight cost has simply increased.
If you share your card details to pay the fee, you will find out later that there was no price increase — but the scammer now has your information.
How do I know if my airline booking is real?
To ensure the legitimacy of your airline booking, first, verify the source.
Purchase tickets directly from the airline or reputable, certified travel agencies. Check the website’s security by ensuring it begins with “https.”
Be cautious of unusually low prices, last-minute bookings, or requests for payment in cash or through bank transfers.
Legitimate agencies provide complete contact information. Research reviews and confirm the agency’s legitimacy before making any payments.
Thoroughly read and understand the terms and conditions, focusing on the refund policy.
Can PNR help in checking real airline bookings?
Yes, the Passenger Name Record (PNR) can help verify real airline bookings. PNR contains essential details about a passenger’s reservation, such as flight information and payment status.
By cross-referencing the PNR with the airline’s official records, travellers can confirm the authenticity of their bookings, ensuring a legitimate and secure transaction.
How the bonus flight-booking scam works?
Scammers create a fake website that looks very similar to the airline or travel agency website you think you’re booking with — but they offer discounts on tickets.
The fake website may sometimes send a confirmation email; there is actually no flight.
The scammer steals private information such as your credit card number, phone number, physical address, and more.
How to avoid a fake flight-booking website?
Verify the URL of the site on which you’re booking your tickets.
Check the spelling of the domain name along with other signs that could indicate it’s a fake website (spelling errors, poor design, etc.).
You can also do a Google search for the legitimate company’s website.
If you’re unfamiliar with the travel agency or booking site, do more research .
Verify the security of the website in your browser by clicking on the padlock icon to the left of the URL.
Check that there is a valid security certificate issued to the company you think you’re booking with.
How the sudden price increase scam works on discounted airline tickets ?
After finding cheap flights online, you’re contacted by someone claiming to be the travel agency or airline.
The fraudster tells you over the phone that there are additional fees you need to give ,or that the flight cost has simply increased.
If you share your card details to pay the fee, you find out that there was no price increase — but the scammer now has your personal information.
How to avoid a price increase scam on airline tickets ?
The biggest sign for this scam is any communication requesting more money after purchasing your ticket — no matter the reason.
Legitimate airlines do not operate like this.
If you’re not sure about a potential phishing email or spam call, try to contact the airline directly.
Look up their customer service phone number independently — don’t trust the one provided in any emails or calls that you receive requesting payment.
How last-minute ticket deal scams work ?
Fraudsters use stolen financial information to buy airline tickets.
They then put the tickets up for sale at a major discount through a phony travel agency, Facebook Marketplace, or airline website.
These scams usually include requests for payment in cash, bank transfers, cryptocurrency, or even gift cards — all of which are difficult or impossible to reverse.
Even if the tickets are voided, the scammer keeps your money.
How to avoid last-minute ticket deal scams?
Be cautious if ticket prices seem too good to be true.
Be wary of third-party websites offering cheap tickets for flights that are only one or two days away. This could indicate the work of a fraudster.
Any business that only accepts money transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards is a scam.
How declined card scams work ?
You visit a website to buy tickets; but when you try to pay, the website tells you that your card was declined, or the site has technical problems.
The website then prompts you to use an alternate payment method, like money transfers, postal money orders, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
In the end, scammers collect your credit card information and get paid through a method that’s hard to reverse. But you never get your tickets.
How to avoid declined card scams?
When in doubt, check that the website has a secure link before purchasing anything online. Click on the padlock symbol to the left of the URL.
To follow best practices, only purchase airfare tickets directly from the airline company, and avoid third-party websites altogether.
Before making any online purchase for your trip, verify the website’s legitimacy by searching for it on BBB.
How fake customer support scams work ?
Scammers send emails or create websites listing fake customer support numbers.
When you call the customer service number, the scammer charges you extra fees or requests personal or financial details.
After booking the flight over the phone, you might get a fake confirmation email. But you discover later that the booking doesn’t exist.
How to avoid fake customer support scams?
If you need to call an airline’s customer support number, don’t trust the number that shows up when you search online. Only use the number on the airline’s official site.
In general, avoid making large purchases over the phone, and never give information to someone who calls you.
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