- Travelers are being warned to stop posting photos of their plane tickets and other travel information online to avoid “reservation hijacking.”
- Reservation hijacking involves impostors sending an email or text message pretending to represent your hotel, claiming an urgent issue—such as a failed payment—requires immediate action. The scammers target hotel networks by sending phishing messages to staff members to steal login credentials and extract valid booking details.
- Flight cancellation schemes are also a growing threat, as scammers falsely notify travelers that an upcoming flight was canceled and demand extra fees to rebook, making direct verification on official airline portals crucial.
- If you receive a message like this, call the accommodation directly. Avoid using the phone number included in the text or email, as it may belong to the scammer. Look up the official hotel website and dial the number listed there.
- To protect yourself further, avoid sharing images of plane tickets or travel records on social media platforms. Even if you block out the flight number with emojis, the ticket can disclose more information than expected.
IN FULL
‘Reservation hijacking’ is draining travelers’ bank accounts - but it’s easy to avoid
