Traveldiva.id — The Covid-19 pandemic is over and everyone seems impatient to be able to go on vacation, especially with the cost of cheap travel packages. But later, many travel sites that offer affordable travel packages, which turned out to be a scam. Beware of travel phishing!
The issue of travel phishing was revealed from an explanation by a cyber security company from Russia, Kaspersky. In the statement sent to Traveldiva, Tuesday, 10 July 2023, Kaspersky said that currently many travel sites have sprung up which are only media for phishing or fraud in cyberspace.
Some of the scams or travel phishing posted on online sites under the guise of travel services include:
Ticket fraud in travel phishing
Kaspersky experts have come across many fraudulent sites claiming to offer cheap air tickets. These well-crafted phishing pages often mimic the services of well-known airlines and ticket aggregators. Some even display real flight details by submitting search queries to legitimate aggregators and presenting the information. However, instead of delivering promised ticket, This scam aims to steal money and exploit your personal information for malicious purposes. This may include selling detailed banking information and identifying information on the dark web.
Accommodation scam
The next important step of planning a trip is finding accommodation, which makes it a popular lure for online fraudsters to exploit. One of the most common accommodation scams is fake online registration for accommodation or apartment rentals. Online scammers create attractive ads on popular platforms, show the best photos, and offer low prices to lure tourists. However, once the order is placed and payment is sent, the accommodation turned out to be fake.
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Another type of accommodation scam targets hotel bookings. Online scammers can create fake websites that mimic legitimate hotel booking platforms. These websites often ask users to log in using their Facebook or Google credentials, which allows fraudsters to gain unauthorized access to social media or email accounts of victims. This can lead to identity theft, unauthorized transaction, and other dangerous activities.
Survey and giveaway scams
Online scammers create fake websites or send emails claiming that participants can win big prizes, as 100 dollar AS, by completing a travel survey. These scams often prey on people's desire for financial gain and their willingness to share their opinion. However, This survey is designed to collect personal information, like name, address, phone number, and even financial information, under the guise of eligibility requirements or prize distribution.
In fact, the promised gift was never delivered, and the information provided is used for fraudulent purposes, such as identity theft or unauthorized access to banking accounts. other than that, surveys usually end with a request to re-share the site with friends so they can also receive prizes. According to cybercriminals, the scheme is still attractive to unsuspecting users. In such cases, Cybercriminals use their own victims as a tool to further spread the scam.
According to Kaspersky, scammers are always on the lookout for unwary travelers, target their sense of excitement in planning a vacation. From fake ticket aggregators to survey and accommodation scams, Online fraudsters use various tactics to steal money and sensitive information. It is very important for tourists to remain vigilant and careful when carrying out online travel activities to avoid travel phishing.
“Verify the authenticity of the website, use a trusted ordering platform, and never share personal or financial information without proper verification. Remember, a little skepticism can go a long way in ensuring a safe and scam-free vacation,” comment Olga Svistunova, security experts at Kaspersky on travel phishing.
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