Watch for airfare scams when booking next trip
- Kim Thompson: Better Business Bureau
- May 10, 2021
- 932
With the COVID-19 vaccines rolling out, travel is coming back. That's great news for summer vacation plans, but unfortunately, it also means the scammers are up to their shenanigans. BBB Scam Tracker is receiving reports of con artists creating fake airline ticket-booking sites or customer-service numbers. If you are buying airfare, use caution and double check the URL or phone number before providing your credit card information.
While doing an online search for cheap flights, you come across what seems like a great deal with a major airline. You book the flight — either through the website or by calling a customer-support number — and receive a confirmation message. However, when you look more closely at the email, you notice you never actually received your ticket.
In another version of this scam, you book a flight on a travel website offering deals on airfare. You pay with your credit card like normal. But shortly after making the payment, you receive a call from the company saying there's been a sudden price increase or an extra charge to finalize your booking. This is something a legitimate company would never do.
In either case, you call the airline to follow up about your flight. After talking to an agent, you find they have no record of your booking. It turns out you have actually purchased tickets through a scam website or a phony customer-service number.
Do your research. If you come across a company you haven’t dealt with before, research it before making any purchases. Look on www.BBB.org for reviews and feedback from previous customers.
Double check the URL before you enter any personal and payment information. It can be easy to click on a sponsored ad or imposter website without noticing. Before you enter any sensitive information, double check you are on the right website and that the link is secure. (Secure links start with “https://” and will include a lock icon on the purchase page. Learn more at www.BBB.org/BBBSecure.)
Make online purchases with your credit card, when possible. Fraudulent charges made on a credit card can usually be disputed, whereas that might not be the case with other payment methods. Unfortunately, there is no way to get back the personal information you may have shared.
To learn more about planning a getaway during COVID-19, visit www.bit.ly/tripduringpandemic. For ways to protect yourself from travel scams, visit www.BBB.org/TravelScam.
If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to www.BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Find more information about scams and how to avoid them at www.BBB.org/AvoidScams.
Visit www.bbb.org/canton or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, find events, follow on social media and more.