Protect your money and identity: New travel scams to be aware of

Scammers are becoming very sophisticated when tricking people into giving them money or personal information. Even for the tech-savviest travelers, these scams can be very difficult to spot. According to a study by MasterCard, travel scams related to the travel planning process rose by more than 12% in a single year, and the peak travel periods saw 28% higher fraudulent transactions than off-peak. This week we describe some of the latest trends in travel scams, and how you can prevent being a victim before and during your next trip.

Scenario 1: You receive an email or text stating that an additional deposit is needed to hold your hotel reservation. This scam can look legitimate, because the message will often contain your real confirmation number and travel dates. It typically states something about having 24 hours to make an additional deposit or else your reservation will be cancelled. There is a link you can click or a phone number to call within the message to resolve the alleged issue. The problem is that the link and phone number belong to the scammer, allowing them to get your credit card and other personal information.

Tip: Do not be fooled by logos or professional language in emails or texts. Scammers are increasingly using AI to mimic hotel brands’ design and verbiage. For questions about your reservation, always be the one to initiate contact with the hotel and only use phone numbers and email addresses posted on the official hotel app or website. Be aware that scammers may use website addresses that look close to, but are not, the official site. Never trust the information in an unsolicited email, text, or call.

Scenario 2: You receive an urgent text stating that your flight has been cancelled. In this scenario, the message contains contact information, and they offer to rebook you for a fee. In reality, your flight is not cancelled at all, and you’ve given away your credit card information, passport number, and other extremely sensitive items.

Tip: Scammers like to create a sense of urgency in their messages to get you to respond. If you receive a message like this, check your reservation’s status through the airline’s app or official website. As convincing as the message may seem, take any urgent message with a grain of salt. Airline reservations are always managed within their official reservation system, not through a random text, email, or call. Furthermore, airlines will typically assist, rebook and/or refund you without charge in the event of a cancellation.

Scenario 3: Scammers are using discarded luggage tags to file fake claims on your behalf. It seems like no big deal to toss your luggage tag in the airport trash once you’ve retrieved your bags, but fraudsters are using this to their advantage. A growing trend is to take these discarded tags and file a false damaged/missing bag claim, keeping the funds for themselves. This becomes really problematic if you have a legitimate claim to make when you arrive home.

Tip: Think of your luggage tag like a bank statement, and only throw it away at home once you’ve verified your bag’s contents. The information on a luggage tag can have a surprisingly large amount of information, so it’s smart to shred them if possible. If an issue with your bags does arise, keep the tag in a safe place while you work with the airline or your travel insurance company.

Scenario 4: A seemingly genuine taxi driver approaches you in the baggage claim area and asks if you need a ride to your destination. If you haven’t pre-arranged transportation, it can be tempting to take up the offer. Oftentimes, however, the driver will demand a huge fee upon arrival, and/or take your credit card information after paying them.

Tip: We recommend pre-arranged transportation whenever possible. There are risks to ride share and last-minute transport, but if you are using Uber/Lyft or a taxi, book it through the app or locate the official airport taxi stand. If a driver approaches you curbside or at baggage claim, politely but firmly decline. Especially in large cities, this is a common scam and sometimes airports will post warning signs, though some people unfortunately still get roped in.

Scams can take a variety of forms, but even the savviest travelers can be caught off guard. Seemingly out-of-the-blue texts, calls, and emails should be approached with extreme caution. Always verify the legitimacy by finding the official contact information. Even Google and other search engines have been known to post fraudulent phone numbers. Stay diligent but calm whenever you suspect something is off.

Finally, while ignoring scam emails, texts, and calls is definitely an option, if you want to do more you can report these to reportfraud.ftc.gov or text at 7726 (SPAM) but make sure to avoid clicking any links prior to forwarding the fraudulent message. Staying on top of the latest scams will help make your vacation as stress-free as possible!