Artificial intelligence is fueling an unprecedented rise in holiday travel fraud. As this technology advances, so do the ways scammers can take your money, as their methods span the entire travel industry.
According to Booking.comAI-related fraud increased in 2023, stealing more than $265,000 from travel fraud victims. Almost 1 in 4 travelers found themselves defrauded of at least $1,000.
Artificial intelligence helps fraudsters create realistic-looking phishing emails, generate convincing fake websites, and even create chatbots that mimic customer service professionals. The better AI gets, the harder it is to decipher scams from reality.
What scams should Passengers Watch out for?
AI prompt-generator experts AIPRM has compiled a list of the biggest threats to holiday travelers in 2024 powered by artificial intelligence.
Fake airline and hotel booking websites
When it comes to travel fraud, artificial intelligence is making the need to be a tech expert almost obsolete. Fraudsters easily create fake websites and travel booking platforms that offer low prices on flights and accommodation. Limited-time sales and other urgent messages attract potential travelers.
Once potential passengers enter their information, fraudsters can access the user’s personal information and money.
Avoid falling for these types of scams by looking for the finer details. Look carefully at URLs, spot even the smallest spelling mistakes, and always make sure the website or platform you’re using is legitimate before entering any details.
According to Forbesrental scams play a big role in AI-related theft. Fraudsters post AI-generated ads for rental properties, adding stunning photos of rentals that don’t exist. These scammers do their best to dissuade potential travelers from their fake application and convince them to hand over financial information directly.
Chatbots and travel offers
Human AI chatbots can trick unsuspecting travelers seamlessly. Chatbots easily impersonate customer service representatives and offer discounts that are hard to refuse. They will ask for personal information and try to get travelers to pay in advance for trips that don’t exist.
Fortunately, avoiding fake chatbots and travel offers it is not as complicated as other scams. The first line of defense is to verify all the deals you come across through trusted platforms and websites. Do not click or follow suspicious links offered by these systems. Instead, find trusted sources and verify travel details, phone numbers, addresses, pictures and other information before entering personal information.
Phishing scams
According to AIPRM, 1 in 5 people will click on an AI-generated phishing email. These persuasive ads and emails will convince consumers to click on a link within the email. These emails often exploit fake emergencies, such as sudden flight cancellations.
Scammers convince consumers that clicking on a link in the email to enter updated payment information is the only way to save a flight they’ve already booked and paid for.
The good news is that consumers can easily protect themselves from them holiday travel scams with a bit of double checking. Instead of clicking on suspicious links in an email, check your flight details using official booking platforms like airline websites.
Red flags to avoid
While scammers will always find new ways to con people out of their hard-earned money, there are some general things to look out for, no matter where consumers find themselves online.
Urgency
Scammers excel at creating a false sense of urgency. If the contract expires in 10 minutes, two hours, or any other unreasonable time frame, there’s a good chance it’s a scam.
In a press release, AIPRM founder Christoph C. Cemper explains that “urgency, no matter how well explained (using Generative AI), is a major red flag for any type of fraud, including travel and vacation bookings.”
‘Too good to be true’
Watch out for offers that seem too good to be true and ads that immediately entice consumers to share financial details. In short, check everything before handing over personal or financial information.
Cemper addresses this in a press release: “Today, almost anything can be faked using artificial intelligence, so if it’s ‘too’ well written, ‘too’ good to be true in an offer, or ‘too beautiful’ in pictures, then I’d be be especially careful.”
In short, avoid falling victim to impulsive decisions. Research brands or services before handing over personal information and analyze the finer details.
What to do if you get scammed
AIPRM says that when consumers fall victim to a fraudthey should immediately consider all common details useless. Immediately cancel any shared credit or debit cards and notify your bank.
Although inconvenient, turning everything off is the best way to avoid fraudsters using consumer information for further crimes. Report the incident to the police, realizing that while you should notify them, resolution is rare.
This article was created by Media decision and syndicated by A wealth of nerds.
