fake travel blog

14 Major Travel Scams to Avoid

On my first big trip abroad I got scammed twice on the same day.

My friend Scott and I had just arrived in Thailand . We were in Bangkok trying to find a boat cruise to take us up and down the Chao Phraya River. A taxi driver suggested this one company; we went there and found out that an hour-long tour was only $30 USD.

Not even thinking about whether that was a deal or not, we agreed. To us — still thinking about prices back home — that offer seemed like a fair price. It was only as the boat tour ended early that we realized we might have been ripped off (later on, we found out that we paid double the price).

Then, after lunch, we wandered over to the Grand Palace. When we got there, we didn’t see any crowds. We looked down the left side of the palace, then over to the right.

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

An enterprising tuk-tuk driver came over to us and told us the palace was closed for lunch. Scott and I looked at each other. Maybe that was right. After all, many museums sometimes do that, plus we didn’t see anyone around. It seemed feasible. He offered to take us to a few that were open.

“Sure,” we replied — and found ourselves visiting not only a few temples but also a suit shop, a gem shop, and a souvenir shop.

Afterward, he took us to the palace (which was unsurprisingly open). It was then we realized that it had never been closed — we had just been on the wrong side of the building.

We had been scammed.

My life as a traveler was not off to a good start.

Travel scams are real — and they vary from country to country. If you are carrying a travel guidebook , it will list the most common scams in that specific country.

To help you stay safe, today, I want to give you a list of common travel scams to avoid.

Avoiding travel scams requires a lot of common sense and a healthy dose of suspicion. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Here are some of the more universal scams you’ll want to avoid:

Table of Contents

1. The taxi overcharge

2. your accommodation is “closed”, 3. the shell game, 4. “come in for tea and help me write a letter”, 5. free bracelets/rosemary/anything they can put on you, 6. the spill on your clothes, 7. motorbike scam, 8. the flirtatious local, 9. your attraction is closed for lunch, 10. the “found” ring, 11. the fake petition, 12. the drug deal gone bad, 13. the wrong change, 14. the switcheroo, 15. the atm scam, 16. child & injured beggars, 17. fake wi-fi hub, 18. fake currency scam, stay protected on the road.

This is one of the most common travel scams out there. Either the driver will tell you the meter is broken and try to charge you a huge rate or you’ll see the meter go higher and faster than usual

To avoid this scam, first, you need to know how much a ride should cost. I always ask the hostel or hotel staff what a ride should be so I have a frame of reference.

Next, if the cabbie tries to negotiate the rate with me, I offer him the correct rate. If he refuses, I find someone who will put the meter on. If the meter seems to be going up too quickly, I have them pull over and I get out. Many tourism boards let you report bad cab drivers so be sure to always make a mental note of their ID number when you get in the cab.

When in doubt, ask your hostel/hotel staff to call a cab for you. They will know which companies are reputable.

And never get in an unlicensed cab — no matter how amazing the deal is!  

This is another cab-driver-related scam. In this scam, your driver will tell you your hotel or hostel is overbooked or even closed. It’s not. I mean, you wouldn’t have booked it if it was, right? Just ignore them and insist on going there. If they keep trying, continue to insist. They will usually shut up about it.

And while this seems like a scam no one could possibly fall for, people do. I’ve been in many cabs where they insist my hostel has been closed for months.

A note on taxis: In this smartphone era, we have our power back. We’re no longer helpless because we can look on a map and see the actual correct route. I like to look on Google Maps and see what the best route is. If it looks like they aren’t taking it, I’ll usually point to the map and insist they go that way. (I once left a taxicab in Bangkok because he tried to pull a fast one on me by taking a longer route.)

If I’m going to a country where I won’t have phone access, I download the map onto my phone. Your phone’s GPS will work even if you don’t have a connection. Additionally, ride services like Uber place accountability on drivers, which greatly reduces the likelihood of you being cheated.  

I see this one all the time — how people fall for it I’ll never know. It’s such an old and obvious scam. It’s in movies, for heaven’s sake! You’ll see people on the street playing a card game (sometimes known as three-card Monte) or hiding a ball in a cup and someone guessing where it is and winning money. Then you decide to play — and you win! Thinking this is great, you bet more money…and then you lose — and lose again and again.

Here’s a short video on how the trick works:

Don’t get suckered into this con. Remember, the house always wins!  

While in Morocco , someone tried this travel scam on me. I was walking out of a convenience store when a guy struck up a conversation. Finding out I was from NYC , he said he had a cousin who lived there (the first giveaway) and wanted to know if I could come to his shop to write a postcard for him (the second giveaway).

The goal here was to get me in the shop, maybe give me some tea, and then pressure me into buying something. This uses the psychological principle of reciprocity: he gave me tea, he was nice to me, so soon I’ll feel socially obliged to buy something.

Similarly, a common tea scam in China involves a beautiful local woman who wants to practice English. Due to the culture shock, many men are more than happy to speak English to a friendly local. She invites you to try a tea ceremony, so you go to a tea house (commonly near the Forbidden City).

After a while, the owners bring you the bill, it’s a huge amount of money and the owner threatens to call the police unless you pay up. As most travelers don’t want any problems, they pay up.

To avoid this, don’t follow people to a second location or believe they suddenly have a cousin who happens to live exactly where you do!  

In this scam, common in Europe , a friendly person will approach you for a quick chat, then place a bracelet around your wrist or hat on your head, or give you a little sprig of rosemary. Once you have it on your person, they will demand money. When you refuse, they will begin to cause a scene in the hopes you would rather give them some money than be embarrassed.

Don’t allow anyone to put anything on your body, and be extremely wary of accepting anything for free. If they put something on you, simply take it off, give it back to them, and be firm about it. Then walk away and move on with your day. They won’t chase you.

Another common variation on this scheme is the fake monk. You’ll find this one everywhere from NYC to Europe to Asia. The “monk” will put a Buddhist bracelet on your wrist and then ask for a “donation.” Real Buddhist monks don’t wander the streets hawking cheap bracelets, so always ignore any monks that look to be peddling trinkets.  

There you are, minding your own business, and someone spills something on you. Ruins your day, but accidents happen, right? They are profusely sorry and offer to clean it up, dabbing the stain, and apologizing. While you are all flustered, they are picking your pocket. By the time you realize what has happened, they are long gone.

This scam is also common in Europe. Beware of people encroaching on your person if it’s not a crowded area already. If this happens, push people away and clean it up yourself.

Another variation on this is the “poo shoe.” Particularly common in India, this scam involves someone squirting animal poop on your shoe when you’re not looking. When you notice, they “help” you find someone to clean your shoe (or they do it themselves) for an exorbitant fee. Conversely, sometimes you will just get pickpocketed while looking down at your shoe to see what happened.

Either way, if you get poop on your shoe, be wary!  

You rent a motorbike and spend the day exploring. When you bring it back, the owner demands an additional payment or expensive repairs because there is some damage you didn’t know about. In some cases, they will have asked you to leave your passport as collateral instead of a deposit “since it’s easier.” Then, when they inspect the motorbike afterward and “find” new damage, you have to fork over a lot of money because they’re holding your passport hostage.

I see this scam a lot in Southeast Asia and other developing regions of the world.

To avoid this, take photos of the bike first to document any previous damage. Go around it with the owner so they know what you are taking pictures of. Use your own lock, and keep the bike out of sight and off a main street when you park it. Sometimes an owner will send someone to mess with the bike or steal it so you have to pay!

Also, always make sure you buy travel insurance so you can make a claim if there is an issue.

(This scam is much less common with rental cars, but it can still happen so always take photos and video of your vehicle before you leave the parking lot — and make sure the company knows you’re doing so.  

You arrive in a new country and head to a bar, where a beautiful local comes up to you for a chat. You can’t believe your luck. You have some drinks and amazing conversation and go to a new bar or club that she suggested. However, after a wild night and lots of drinks, the woman disappears and you’re forced to pay an overpriced bill with some really big guys bearing down on you to make sure you do. Or, worse, you get drugged and wake up completely robbed of everything on you.

Another thing to be aware of is that when attractive locals are sitting by themselves at a bar they might be ‘working’ (i.e. a sex worker). It’s important not to get into an uncomfortable position where you may have misread the “chemistry” for what it really was: a business transaction you need to pay for.

The simple solution to this is to be wary of attractive locals who promise to take you to the world’s best club, get you drinks, or are overly flirtatious — especially when you stand out like a sore thumb as a foreigner. Getting on a plane didn’t increase your attractiveness by a factor of 10.  

As mentioned, this is what happened to me and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker! A friendly local approaches and informs you that the attraction you want to visit is closed for any number of reasons (religious ceremony, holiday, etc.). Then they’ll guide you to a different attraction or shop, where you’re pressured to purchase something or pay a lot for entry.

To avoid this, find the main entrance or ticket counter and see for yourself. Also, keep in mind that most attractions don’t close for lunch — they close for the day. Even better, look up the open hours before you go, so you know what to expect — opening and closing times are almost always available online. Don’t be like me!  

An innocent-looking person picks up a ring on the ground and asks if you dropped it. When you say no, the person looks at the ring closely, then shows you a mark “proving” that it’s pure gold. He or she offers to sell it to you for a better price. They make some money, and you get some gold you can resell. It’s a win-win! You think it’s a good deal, buy it find out it’s fake when you try to sell it at home!

This is common in Europe . One of my tour members almost fell for it when we were in Paris, but I intervened in time and sent the person away. The best way to avoid this scam is to not buy the ring. If it sounds too good to be true, it definitely is.  

You’re at a popular tourist sight and a woman or kid (often pretending to be deaf or a student) will try to get you to sign a petition. You don’t know what they are saying, and to end the awkwardness, you sign the petition, hoping they will go away. But the petitioner then demands a cash donation. At best, anyone who falls for this scam is out some money; at worst, they’re pickpocketed while fighting with the petitioner.

Another one of my tour members fell for this scam (even after I warned him specifically about it), but I saved him in time. To avoid this scam, just ignore people coming up to you to sign a petition, especially when they are in groups and try to surround you. Just keep on walking.  

This scam is common in many developing countries — especially those with a lively party scene like in Southeast Asia. You’re in a popular tourist area and someone offers you drugs. You say yes, and before you know it, a (real) cop is on the scene! They threaten to arrest you unless you pay a fine right there (i.e., a bribe). If caught red-handed, you’ll probably pay the bribe rather than go to jail.

To avoid this scam, don’t buy illegal drugs in other countries!  

This happens a lot in countries where the bills look similar to each other. People tend to look at colors first, so when you get a pile of change that is the same color, you think you got the right change — but they really gave you the wrong bills, hoping you won’t notice until after you rush out.

To avoid getting taken, count your change carefully every time.  

This happens all over the world and mostly with shirts, carpets, rugs, and antiques. You’re at a store and you see a designer item at a bargain price. Maybe they got it wholesale? After some haggling, the owner agrees to sell it to you. But while you aren’t paying attention, he gives you a knockoff.

To avoid this scam, remember that no designer anything is going to be that cheap. Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it’s not true.

Second, be sure to always watch what the seller is actually giving you to be sure it’s the exact item you wanted.  

When you go to use an ATM, a “helpful” local will approach you to help you avoid the ATM fee. What they are really doing is using a card skimmer to steal your credit card information once they get close. Often there is a second person in line pretending to be a customer who will agree with the “helpful” person’s tips.

To avoid this one, always use indoor ATMs inside a bank branch. Additionally, always check the ATM itself for a card skimmer. Here’s a video on how to do that:

Lastly, never let anyone get close to you when you’re using an ATM. If people are acting suspiciously, take your card and leave.  

This scam can be found pretty much everywhere. Usually, an injured person or young child (sometimes with their mother) will approach you and ask for money. This is a tough one because you’ll feel compelled to help. Unfortunately, a lot of children have been roped into gangs and collect money on their behalf. And sometimes, an accomplice is waiting nearby to see where you keep your wallet so they can pickpocket you later.

Since it’s impossible to know who is legit and who is faking it, I never give money to injured beggars or children. Instead, I’ll make a donation to a helpful charity or offer them food.  

These days, everyone is always on the lookout for free Wi-Fi. One common scam hackers will do is create a free unlocked Wi-Fi hub and then, once you’ve logged onto it, they steal your data.

The solution? Never join any unsecured networks and always use a VPN when you’re abroad . It will keep your data secure. Additionally, don’t access any sensitive data while on an unsecured network, such as your online bank.

If you’re not sure what network to connect to, ask the staff. Better safe than sorry!  

In cities where there are a lot of currency exchanges near popular tourist attractions, a person might come up to you and ask if you want to change some money. They’ll offer you a fantastic rate and say they don’t charge commission. They might even tell you they work for an exchange place nearby or even have some sort of name tag on. The money they show you is real and they will show you all the ways it’s NOT counterfeit.

However, once you exchange some, you’ll discover that some of the notes (usually in the middle of the stack) are fake — but by that time the person is gone. As a rule, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so stick to reputable currency shops.

Chances are you’ve been scammed abroad at least once. It happens. But, to avoid getting ripped off in the future, be wary when it comes to people offering you something in a touristy setting . Think of it this way: in your day-to-day life back home, would you go for it?

If the answer is no, then chances are it’s a scam you need to avoid.

On the road, a little common sense goes a long way.

Worried about getting something lost, stolen, or falling for a scam? Make sure you get travel insurance coverage so that if something does happen, you can be made whole again and recover your losses! I never leave home without it! You can use the widget below to get your quote today:

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are mine alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. This page does not include all card companies or all available card offers.

Related Posts

GET YOUR  FREE TRAVEL STARTER KIT

Enter your email and get planning cheatsheets including a step by step checklist, packing list, tips cheat sheet, and more so you can plan like a pro!

10 Sneaky Travel Scams That Too Many People Fall For

Senior Reporter, HuffPost Life

There’s nothing like a scam to put a damper on your hard-earned vacation. In this day and age, the opportunities for people to swindle you out of cash or steal your data seem to be endless.

“Travel scams have been around for decades. However, it’s safe to assume that there has been an increase in recent years as technology continues to advance,” Julian Moro , senior vice president and regional security director at International SOS, told HuffPost.

“Because of such technological advances, travelers are easier targets from the booking and planning process, all the way through the end of a trip. While travel scams have increased, the frequency and sophistication of cyber scams has also increased, as has broader awareness and healthy skepticism.”

Indeed, Booking.com’s safety expert reported in June there had been “anywhere from a 500 to a 900% increase” in travel scams over the past 18 months, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence.

“With AI, cybercriminals can scale very easily and at low costs,” said Ally Armeson , executive director of programs at the Cybercrime Support Network. “What used to take them hours now takes seconds, which allows these criminal networks to produce a greater number of less detectable scams.”

Your likelihood of encountering a scam and the nature of the fraud can depend on where you travel as well.

“Scams vary by country, so popular scams in one region might be different from another,” noted travel writer Matthew Kepnes , aka Nomadic Matt. “Fortunately, most scams won’t put you in harm’s way, rather, they’ll just cost you a few bucks and some embarrassment. That said, there are lots of scams out there that can break the bank and lead to you losing your wallet, phone, or other valuables.”

To help vacationers avoid these scenarios, we asked experts to outline some of the most common travel scams and what to look out for.

Fake Travel Document Websites

“One that we saw after the pandemic and certainly still hear about today are the fake travel documents websites,” said Amy Nofziger , the director of victim support at the AARP Fraud Watch Network.

Since many people didn’t travel for a year or two, they let their passports and TSA pre-check status expire. Once bans were lifted and vaccines became readily available, there was a surge in travelers seeking to travel abroad again — and thus needing up-to-date passports and more.

“Many people went online and found look-alike websites that claim to help you renew or enroll in the TSA PreCheck or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Global Entry program that speed you through airport security for a fee,” Nofziger explained. “But these sites are actually trying to con you out of money and personal information.”

Verify that you’re only using legitimate services if you want external assistance with your travel documents, and otherwise try to go directly to the official government source for your needs.

Taxi Overcharge

“Be aware of a common and longstanding scam ― the taxi overcharge ― where the driver claims the meter is broken and tries to set a flat rate that is well over the typical rate,” Moro warned.

Don’t continue with your ride if a taxi driver says the meter is broken but not to worry because they’ll keep the price low.

“When you get where you’re going, the charge is high and you’re stuck because you’re afraid to get out and not pay, especially when the cabbie says they’ll call the cops,” explained Ned S. Levi , a columnist and travel scam expert with Travelers United.

If you’ve arranged for a driver to pick you up at the airport, make sure you have a way to verify it’s the correct driver to avoid scammers.

Unsecured Wi-Fi And Hotspots

“Think about how much we rely on technology when we travel,” Armeson said. “Although it wasn’t a cyber attack, look at the impact the Crowdstrike software outage had on the entire airline industry this summer. On a more personal level, we all use technology to access our boarding pass, navigate new places, manage our trip budget and stay connected.”

Cybercriminals often take advantage of these opportunities to access sensitive information and data.

“For instance, hackers set up fake Wi-Fi networks in areas with free Wi-Fi, like airports or hotels,” Armeson explained. “When you try to connect, you see two networks with similar names and, without verifying which is correct, you might connect to the hacker’s network. Now that hacker can access your device and infect it with malware or intercept your data.”

Make an effort to avoid unsecured Wi-Fi networks. The same goes for hotspots.

“Be wary of any hotspot requesting credit card information and ensure you connect only to reputable networks,” Moro urged. “Scammers may set up fake hotspots and use them to hack into your phone to track passwords, identity information, and bank information.”

He also warned about “shoulder surfing” on your travels ― when scammers look over people’s shoulders (sometimes from a distance with binoculars or other aids) as they enter their usernames and passwords in a hotel lobby, airport or coffee shop. Use your hand to cover keypads, consider a screen protector and take advantage of two-factor authentication to avoid this situation.

Car Rental Scam

“We all want a good deal and try to do online searches for the best price of a rental car, and scammers know this,” Nofziger said. “They will set up phony customer service numbers online that look just like those of major rental-car companies indicating to ‘call for the best deal.’”

When you call, you’ll likely receive an offer for a huge discount but only if you pay ahead of time, and they’ll request payment in the form of prepaid gift card.

“This is so hard for travelers because oftentimes they only realize they have been a victim when they show up at their destination and there is no rental car for them,” Nofziger said. “Always verify that you’re calling the real customer service department, or that you’re on a legitimate rental-car-company website.”

Another car rental scam involves fake claims of damage. Be sure to take photos of your vehicle upon return.

“When you bring the car back, the rental company claims a week or more later that there was damage to the car such as a dent, a burn in the upholstery or smoking smell, and charges you to take care of the problem,” Levi said. “This happens sometimes with well-known rental companies.”

Emergency Calls

“Another scam involves robocallers who target travelers’ families, claiming an emergency and urging them to send money immediately,” Moro said. “This scam is especially effective against older travelers.”

To counter this scheme, he recommended talking to your family before you leave home and setting up a special code word that you would use only in cases of genuine emergencies.

“This can help family members distinguish between real emergencies and scams,” Moro noted.

‘Closed’ Tourist Attractions

“People may tell you an attraction is closed but they know a ‘better’ spot ― then proceed to drive you around to various shops that will pressure you into buying something,” Kepnes said.

Scammers might insist the site is closed for lunch or a local holiday, but be sure to verify this is the case.

When you arrive at a tourist attraction that appears to be closed, walk around to all entrances or sides of the building. Check the hours on the official website and social media pages.

If you arrive at an attraction without a ticket, avoid purchasing a counterfeit one outside.

“With so many tickets being printed online these days or in emails sent to smartphones, scammers create their own tickets and claim that their friend can’t go and they are selling their ticket outside the venue ― but the ticket is fake, of course,” Levi said.

Fake Customer Service

“Scammers use AI to mimic real customer service representatives through voice, video, or chat, leading to fraudulent transactions,” said Brittany Allen , a trust and safety architect at Sift. “It can even look like a legitimate phone number ― fraudsters have no problem spoofing a company’s name on caller ID.”

Stressed-out travelers dealing with cancelations and other disruptions are prime targets for this kind of scam.

“Cybercriminals are scouring social media looking for frustrated travelers,” Armeson explained. “Let’s say your flight is canceled, and you post your disappointment about it on social media, tagging the airline.”

She noted that scammers seek out these types of posts and are ready to pounce with fake airline profiles to help you “fix the issue.”

“In reality, they aren’t fixing anything at all,” Armeson added. “They are attempting to steal your credit card number or login credentials disguised as someone who can help you with a refund or rebooking.”

Strangers On The Street

Of course, travel is an opportunity to meet new people and explore the local culture, but you can still be friendly and have a nice time while keeping your guard up.

“Travelers are at risk for petty crime like pickpocketing,” Moro noted. “Always be cautious when accepting offers from unofficial tour services, as they may not be legitimate, and always stay alert to potential distractions that could be used to facilitate theft. An example of this is a stranger approaching you to ask for money or to engage in a friendly conversation. This can be used as a distraction while an accomplice pickpockets you. It’s important to always be alert and hyper-aware of your surroundings.”

He urged travelers to keep their belongings secure and never travel with more cash, cards, and documents than they need.

“People may ‘accidentally’ spill something on you and then apologize profusely while their accomplice picks your pocket,” Kepnes warned. “Or friendly locals ask you to sign a petition for a ‘worthy’ cause only to then extort you for money after you’ve signed.”

Don’t let a good street performance distract you from holding on to your belongings. And look out for what Levi calls “the ersatz cop scam.”

“A fake cop comes to a traveler on the street and asks to examine their wallet for counterfeit bills and steals their cash,” he explained. “Yes, people fall for it, particularly older travelers.”

“I advise travelers to exercise caution when using ATMs or card readers at restaurants, bars and other establishments while traveling,” Moro said. “These devices can capture card numbers and PINs, which scammers can then use to clone cards.”

He recommended withdrawing cash ahead of your trip and storing it securely. Whenever possible, be sure to use the “tap” option at checkout, rather than inserting your credit or debit card.

Fraudulent Booking Websites

“Cybercriminals can easily set up fake booking websites that look just like real ones, and use enticing travel deals to convince people to enter their credit card details,” Armeson noted.

Travelers use these to book nonexistent tickets, flights, accommodations and more before embarking on their journey, only to later discover the fraud.

“With the rise in popularity of rental properties, there has been an increase in fake listings as well as false information on listings,” Moro said. “Always use well-known, reputable booking platforms and avoid using third-party websites. When booking hotels, make sure that you are using their approved websites or a reputable booking site. Always make sure that any travel agencies are verified and have credible reviews, should you plan to use one.”

Many fraudsters use payment methods that are difficult to dispute, like wire transfers.

“Even more sophisticated fraudsters can use these fake travel websites as middlemen to collect victims’ personal and financial data while actually booking the requested flights or accommodations elsewhere, which means it may take even longer for victims to realize their data is compromised,” Allen noted. “The availability of generative AI has made these websites even more convincing.”

Travelers might also receive phishing emails that appear to be from legitimate travel companies and wind up giving sensitive information to scammers.

“Similarly to the fake booking sites, the more sophisticated fraudsters sometimes use these emails to pass the victim along to the legitimate company’s site to obfuscate their fraudulent activity,” Allen said. “And AI has made these emails even harder to spot.”

What To Do If You Suspect You’ve Been Scammed

If you suspect you’ve fallen for a scam, remember there are steps you can take to protect your data and money and recover lost funds.

“First, cut off all communication with the scammer and do not provide them with any more information,” Allen advised. “If you are communicating with them on a social media platform or messaging app, report the associated accounts. Alert your financial institutions and other relevant authorities, including your local police department.”

In addition to contacting your bank, she recommended reviewing and monitoring your bank accounts, credit card or other financial statements, credit reports, and any notifications you receive from banks, credit card companies, or government agencies. If you have a travel insurance policy, reach out to the provider to find out about next steps.

“It’s generally a good idea to freeze your credit with the three big reporting agencies ― Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax ― and even more so if you believe you’ve been the victim of a scam,” Allen added. “Look out for any new charges you did not make, or new opened accounts.”

Change your passwords for travel and financial accounts and enable two-factor authentication to avoid a takeover. Consider using a password manager. In situations where your devices were compromised, run a scan for malware and back up any important data. A factory reset can help as well.

“If you’re just out a few dollars, consider that the cost of the lesson learned,” Kepnes said. “I’ve been scammed more times than I can count over the years, but at the end of the day, losing a few bucks here and there won’t break the bank. Just make sure you pay more attention next time!”

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

More in life.

The weirdly common, very expensive travel scam you should avoid

Do not click on that travel website (probably).

by Emily Stewart

Kathy could have sworn she called Qatar Airways to change her flight last spring. Looking through her call records now, she clearly didn’t. Instead, she wound up talking to a third-party booker called Infinity Travels. She has paid Infinity thousands of dollars she may never get back, even after spending countless hours trying.

Her labyrinth of a saga is hard to keep straight. In November 2022, she realized she would need to fly back home to Canada early from a trip to visit her husband in the Middle East scheduled for the following March. She called to make the switch. Kathy, who asked to withhold her last name to protect her privacy, spent six hours on the phone in the endeavor.

Initially, she says she was told she’d need to spend 1,650 Canadian dollars on a new flight and would get a CA$2,700 credit from the airline — she wanted a refund, not a credit, and was transferred to a supposed supervisor. The next agent told her she needed to pay CA$6,990 for the new flight and that she’d receive a refund of CA$8,080 after she had taken her departing flights. She took the deal, which was confirmed in an email from Infinity. “It was dumb of me,” she says. “But by this time it was 1 am and I was so tired.”

Sign up for The Big Squeeze newsletter

Emily Stewart’s column exposes the ways we’re all being squeezed under capitalism. Sign up here.

That refund never came through, and Kathy has been locked in a battle with Infinity for months, which is taking place over WhatsApp and the phone. Infinity claimed the initial agent who offered her the refund was fired for making unauthorized deals. A subsequent agent she spoke to — while on her vacation — told her they would refund CA$4,250, nearly half the original amount promised. That was supposed to come through if she agreed not to dispute the CA$6,990 charge, which she did. That agent seems to have disappeared, too, after allegedly being promoted to a new job.

Kathy isn’t sure how she found that wrong number to make her flight change, but it seems likely she did an internet search and called the number that came up without checking its provenance. “It’s incredibly frustrating,” she says. “For me, the money sucks to lose, but it’s more like how are they getting away with doing this? Because I’m sure there are other people.”

There are. A look at TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau shows others have had similarly confusing experiences with Infinity.

People all over the world get sucked into a variety of travel-related schemes and scams all the time. In this day and age of vacation, sketchy websites and companies and third-party bookers abound.

Third-party booking websites and companies — meaning entities consumers can use to handle reservations without dealing directly with, for example, an airline — are everywhere. Not all of them are bad. Plenty of people use them without issue all the time, including popular ones such as Expedia, Travelocity, and Booking.com. But some of them employ shady and even fraudulent tactics.

In this day and age of vacation, sketchy websites and companies and third-party bookers abound

These operations seek to get consumers’ money by saying they’ll take care of their travel plans, booking their plane tickets, hotels, and rental cars, or even helping them get their passports faster. They then go on to charge exorbitant fees for executing the transaction or making minor changes and often give consumers the runaround. Sometimes, they never reserve anything at all. Victims of these scams show up at the airport for a flight that doesn’t exist, or appear at a hotel to sleep in a room that was never booked, and their money’s just gone.

Feelings can run high when people travel, whether they’re going to an event or spending time with family and friends or just getting a much-needed and much-anticipated break. “That’s one thing scammers prey on,” said Melanie McGovern, director of public relations and social media for the International Association of Better Business Bureaus, “the emotion of it all.”

Kathy’s emotions got the better of her the night she made that payment to Infinity — endless hours on the phone will do that to you. Since then, she has gotten about CA$325 back from Qatar Airways. After months of wrangling (and after I reached out for comment for this story), Infinity returned CA$1,816 to her. She’s got all of the documentation from the ordeal: emails, text messages, recorded phone calls. It’s just not clear whether any of that matters.

Kathy still has that number she first called saved in her phone as “Qatar Airways Help,” even though that’s not what it is. When you call the number now, the person on the other end of the line simply says, “Reservations.” It’s easy to see how people get tricked.

Qatar Airways said in a statement that Infinity is a travel agent that is entitled to sell its tickets, like many others, but that as an airline, “we do not forward phone calls to travel agents, and we do not accept agents making promises on our behalf.” Infinity said in an email it was “disappointed to hear about the poor experience by this individual” and did not respond to a follow-up email.

One of the primary ways fraudulent third-party companies suck people in is with the promise of a deal. They offer a price that seems too good to be true — because it is — and people’s internet-driven deal-hunting instincts take over.

“The biggest thing we see are the people who are using a third-party website trying to get something a little bit cheaper,” McGovern said. “We know travel can be really, really expensive, and ... people are trying to find an alternative.”

That’s what happened to Sarah, who asked for her last name to be withheld to protect her privacy, when she was trying to snag a flight to Iceland to see the northern lights in late 2022. Most of the flights she found were above her $800 budget, but she found one option for $755 from a website called Travelcation. After booking the trip, she received an email from the company saying the fare she had agreed to was no longer available and had increased to $995.

Sarah noted the email had weird language and grammatical errors, as did the company’s website, upon further inspection. She then googled “Travelcation scams.” “I started reading these horror stories,” she says. She responded to the email saying she didn’t agree to the new price and alerted her bank that any attempted charge would be unauthorized. “My card never ended up getting charged, so I managed to avoid the worst of it,” she says. She took a budget-friendlier trip to Puerto Rico instead.

A spokesperson for Travelcation said in an email that in the travel industry it’s “not uncommon” for prices to fluctuate because of issues such as airline ticket availability, dynamic pricing, taxes, fees, and other charges added during the booking process.

What is uncommon, or at least should be, is for prices to fluctuate after booking.

Reporting for this story, I spoke with multiple experts and individuals about their experiences with scammy websites and travel agencies and combed through complaints to the Better Business Bureau. Many of the strategies these entities employ are quite simple — and effective.

Some websites will figure out how to game search engines like Google . Travelers might think they’re calling Delta or Hilton or Hertz but are actually on the phone with someone else because they just called whatever number came up in search results or on some website without verifying it’s right. The numbers can be completely different from the actual phone number, or they might be one or two off — and 888 instead of 800.

Many of the strategies these entities employ are quite simple — and effective

In the same vein, consumers wind up on these websites because they appear in their searches, sometimes because those websites have paid to rank higher. People then book there, not realizing the website is untrustworthy. The site in question then follows up with a call or email saying that the price of the booking has increased to try to squeeze more out of consumers there, or they charge super-high fees for small changes. (Assuming they make the booking at all, which doesn’t always happen.)

Jim still isn’t entirely sure how he wound up in his predicament. He called Delta’s phone number on a voice over internet service (VoIP) to book a flight to San Francisco; in his first interaction, everything seemed fine. He got a confirmation email from a company called Boketo, not Delta, but he didn’t immediately notice. A while later, he realized his middle initial was incorrect on the reservation, so he called to change it. After agreeing to pay $200 and receiving a follow-up email, this time from an outfit called Travel Makers, it dawned on him he had been duped. “That’s when I recognized that I’m an idiot,” he says.

Jim reported the charges as fraud to his credit card company, which he thought would be the end of it. But in the lead-up to his trip, he says the agent he first dealt with began calling him and harassing him, saying she would not issue his tickets unless he restored the $200 payment. In the end, the flights went just fine, although Jim was worried until he successfully boarded his plane. He asked for his last name to be withheld out of fear of more harassment from the agent.

Jim’s phone records show he did indeed call Delta’s real number, which is quite disturbing. A spokesperson for Delta recommended consumers take extra precautions when using VoIP internet calling to make sure their service is secure. “Whenever we become aware of an alleged scam targeting our customers, including in this situation, we immediately conduct an investigation. Using the facts gained from an investigation, when able, we can then address each unique situation as appropriate with the necessary legal means at our disposal,” the spokesperson said.

Boketo did not respond to a request for comment for this story. When I reached out to Travel Makers for comment, someone purporting to be from the company said that it has nothing to do with Boketo and that the situation “seems like a case of misplaced anger.” They defended the extra $200 charge. Their email address was listed as Fly Cheapest Online.

There is no surefire way to scam-proof your life or even your next vacation, but there are measures you can take to try to protect yourself.

The first step is really to slow down, take a deep breath, and pay attention to what you’re doing, said Amy Nofziger, the director of fraud victim support with AARP. It’s not always easy — people’s lives are busy, and we’re often distracted or in a hurry or stressed. But those situations are where we’re likeliest to make mistakes.

“Even if you think you’re going to get the deal of the century, they’re going to get the deal of the century, not you”

Nofziger also said to be wary of offers that are really out of step with the rest of the market. “If you find the best deal on a flight or on a car, I would be really suspect of why it’s the best deal. Go into this with the mindset that I think this is a scam until I’m proven otherwise,” she says. “Even if you think you’re going to get the deal of the century, they’re going to get the deal of the century, not you.”

If the website’s charging you $500 less than everywhere else, question why that might be. Yes, it feels good to beat the system, but there might not be a system to beat. This goes not only for hotels and flights but also, for example, for expedited passport processing, which Nofziger says AARP gets complaints about weekly. Consumers pay some website extra to get their passports faster, only to hand over sensitive personal information in exchange for no quicker service. “There really is no ‘beat the system’ with the State Department,” she says. “I suggest everyone pull their passport out today, look at when it expires, and start the process.”

If you see a website offering what appears to be a good deal, open up another browser and type the name of that site in along with words like “scam,” “fraud,” and “reviews.” You might save yourself a real headache, depending on what you find. “Do your research,” McGovern says.

Experts say it generally is better to book directly with the hotel or airline or whatever you’re trying to accomplish, or at least to start there. And triple-check the number you’re calling. Really. “Travel agents can be reputable ... but you need to be clear that who you’re talking to is who you intended to talk to,” says Summer Hull, director of content at The Points Guy. “If you intended to talk to American Airlines and you’re now talking to a travel agency, that’s a red flag.”

You should also be suspicious if you get a follow-up phone call asking for more information. “Never provide personal information to an inbound call, even to an airline,” Hull says. “They should not be calling you to ask for your confirmation number or your credit card number or your flight plan,” she said. If you’re not sure it’s legitimate, say you’ll call them back.

There can be some recourse in the event you are scammed. You can try to dispute charges as fraud with your credit card company, which is why it’s always best to pay with a credit card (and not with Venmo, crypto, or a prepaid card). You can also report your experiences on websites such as the Better Business Bureau, TrustPilot, and other places, and, if necessary, contact law enforcement. Still, options are limited.

“Most people don’t think they’re ever going to be scammed, but unfortunately, I’ve had this job for 21 years, and I don’t see it going away anytime soon,” Nofziger says.

As for Kathy, she remains stuck in what feels like a doom loop, most of her refund still pending.

We live in a world that’s constantly trying to sucker us and trick us, where we’re always surrounded by scams big and small. It can feel impossible to navigate. Every two weeks, join Emily Stewart to look at all the little ways our economic systems control and manipulate the average person. Welcome to The Big Squeeze .

Sign up to get this column in your inbox .

Have ideas for a future column or thoughts on this one? Email [email protected] .

• How to travel now
• Respectful Tourism
• Solo Travel
• Flight Advice
• The “Perfect” Vacation
• Business & Finance
• Even Better

More in How to travel now

Most Popular

• Trump’s health care plan exposes the truth about his “populism”
• What happened to Nate Silver
• The Supreme Court is about to decide whether to interfere in the election again
• Is my dentist scamming me?
• Sign up for Vox’s daily newsletter

Today, Explained

Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day.

This is the title for the native ad

More in Travel

Flight attendants are underpaid and overworked — and that hurts passengers, too.

It’s time to add one more contingency to your travel plans: a major natural disaster.

The privately funded venture will test out new aerospace technology.

Five tips to ensure you have a seamless adventure on the open road.

Looking at the growing rift in travel spending.

If you want to get away together, but you don’t want to fight, here’s what you need to know.

Don't let a dream vacation become a nightmare: How to avoid travel scams

As we settle into winter and begin to dream of warm locales to get away, be careful of an increasing number of travel scams, the Better Business Bureau warns. 

The BBB national Scam Tracker has tracked multiple reports of travel scams involving fake airline and booking sites and phone numbers.  

In 2021, BBB's Scam Tracker had 339 reported scams involving travel. The total reported lost on travel scams in 2021 on BBB's Scam Tracker exceeded $350,000. Scams range from time lost and personal security information threatened to tens of thousands on any single report. 

Most reports mention consumers booking a flight or vacation deal with what appeared to be a legitimate site or a major airline phone number.

Deals 'too good to be true': Why booking flights on third-party websites can be risky

Enjoy your worry-free vacation: Best travel insurance policies

'They should've helped me': Booking through third parties like Expedia leaves some travelers stranded

But then, after the booking, consumers never received a confirmation email or information about the trip. Many consumers never receive booking information. Others are soon contacted by the scammers stating the "deal" was expired or canceled. The scammer then offers a different deal for a higher price. The scammers urge consumers to provide credit card details or to make larger purchases by canceling the previous "deal" and booking another.

How to report a scam

Consumers have reported contacting the major airlines and finding out the booking information does not exist. Travelers have been stranded at airports after only one legitimate ticket purchase. Others report several repeating charges made after the initial purchase.

Some reported scam websites are PSSTravel.net, EDreams.net, [email protected] , and Esky.com, the BBB said. 

Tips to spot a travel scam

► The Better Business Bureau reminds consumers to be sure the website or contact information is from a legitimate business or to verify with the airline before providing any payment or personal information.

► Be especially wary of sites that use third parties to buy flight tickets.

► Just because the travel site looks nice does not mean it is trustworthy. 

► “No matter who you suspect may be on the phone, I would recommend never giving out personal information to an unsolicited caller,” said Akron BBB President and CEO Shannon Siegferth. “If you suspect a scam, hang up. If you feel the call was legitimate, verify the number independently and then call back. Do not feel pressured with time or let 'a deal' limit your due diligence in proper research of any organization prior to purchasing.” 

► Siegferth also suggests looking through a company's website, checking reviews and verifying that the organization is an accredited business with BBB.

“We advise consumers to ensure the company they are looking to purchase from clearly and prominently provides a direct and effective means to contact the organization. This includes a phone number, physical address and email address,” Siegferth said. 

► As with any scam, be leery if you are asked to send money upfront or via wire transfer or to pay via gift card, the BBB said. Communicate directly with your bank or other financial institution if you are suspicious of fraudulent charges. Your bank or financial institution will have an accurate account of your transactions and easily be able to know if your account has been compromised. 

► If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Scammers continue to evolve and pivot with their approach. Never assume you won't become a victim to some type of scam. The BBB said it sees scams happen to people  of all ages, and it is important to remember we all can be targets.   

If you are aware of a scam or have been a victim of a scam such as this, please report it to BBB's Scam Tracker www.bbb.org/scamtracker and the Federal Trade Commission reportfraud.ftc.gov or by phone at 877-382-4357.

Beacon Journal consumer columnist Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached [email protected]. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ.

clock This article was published more than  3 years ago

How to spot fake reviews on travel sites

This story has been updated.

You might want to think twice about making reservations at that restaurant with only five-star raves. And that hotel with all those one-star pans may very well be fine. The reason? Many of the reviews you’re reading may be fictitious.

It’s difficult to obtain reliable figures on what percentage of online reviews are fake, but research by academic and industry institutions, including the University of Illinois at Chicago and Best SEO Companies , a search engine optimization business, puts the figure at between 20 and 40 percent overall. According to an investigation by Which? , a U.K. consumer advice website, almost half of the five-star reviews for two of the top-10 hotels in Last Vegas were questionable.

Online reviews can make or break a business, and a bustling “review farm” industry has sprung up to write glowing recommendations for pay. You need only type “buy reviews” into Google to have your choice of vendors. Industry efforts to weed them out are ongoing: Amazon has a lawsuit underway against 1,114 Fiverr gig workers who offered to write fake reviews. TripAdvisor published a Review Transparency Report in 2019 which it plans to update biennially. The Federal Trade Commission also brought its first suit against a review farm last year.

A Pew Research Center study found that 40 percent of people “always” or “almost always” check online reviews before making new purchases, while 82 percent do so at least “sometimes.” Consider that against the Harvard Business School study that found that a one-star increase in a Yelp rating leads to a 5 to 9 percent increase in revenue. You can see why restaurants, hotels, bars and attractions are tempted to buy reviews.

Fortunately, there are tools and strategies savvy travelers can use to spot the phonies.

Intimidated by Airbnb? Here’s what first-time users need to know.

Star ratings aren’t a great indicator “What does a five-star review mean?” said Saoud Khalifah, the founder of Fakespot.com , a tech firm whose software helps identify rigged reviews. “If the food is five-star but the waiter is one-star, how do you score your review?”

There is some value in stars, though. The more reviews there are, the more likely it is that the star rating will have some validity. It’s much harder (and more expensive) to manipulate the star ratings when there are more reviewers. “If there are 10 to 20 reviews, I would be pretty skeptical of the star rating,” said Myles Anderson, the founder of BrightLocal , a marketing firm that helps companies manage their online reputations. “If it’s got 2,000 reviews, it’s much harder to influence,” he said.

Stars can also be used to winnow which reviews you need to read. For example, reviews that award between two and four stars are less likely to be screeds or fakes. A study by professors at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and the MIT Sloan School of Management found that reviewers who provably bought a product were only half as likely to leave a one-star review as unverified buyers.

“Look for the middle of the pack,” said Andy Beal, CEO of Reputation Refinery , a reputation consulting firm. “I tend not to focus on the one- and five-star reviews. Competitors with ill intentions are going to leave one star. If it’s a friend or an affiliate, they are going to leave a five-star.”

If the site breaks out the quantity of ratings behind each star, as Amazon does, look for a pattern. Are there many more threes than fours?

Also look for patterns in the details of reviews. Are there numerous complaints about thin walls and lumpy beds? “There is no smoke without fire,” Anderson said.

Rental homes meet a need for virus-wary vacationers

Details provide a clue to authenticity Studies by a team at Cornell University found that truthful reviews use words specific to a hotel experience, like “price” and “check-in.” Fake ones use more generic words like “vacation,” “family” and “experience” accompanied by a lot of commas and exclamation marks. Fake reviews are also likely to include more superfluous scene-setting, as in, “My husband surprised me with a lovely anniversary weekend trip . . . ”

You should also be suspicious, Khalifah said, “if reviews are all 100 percent, and they are all one line long — that’s not how anyone writes reviews.”

In fact, uniformly high ratings alone might be a red flag. “We all know nothing is ever picture perfect,” Khalifah said.

Hired reviewers cut corners That gives you an advantage. “They are often pretty lazy about the reviews they write,” Anderson said. Look for “limited text, or identical reviews on two or three sites.” Anderson suggests that you cut and paste a segment of a review into Google it to see if it shows up elsewhere.

Also look up the reviewer to see what else they have written. “If you find someone who has written reviews of 50 different Chicago hotels . . . ” Anderson said. “People don’t stay in that many hotels in one city.”

And so do their employers Look at the time stamp on reviews. “If a business has 200 reviews and 100 came in one month, they were likely purchased,” Anderson said. Businesses tend to buy in bunches, he said. “Then the budget runs out.”

Another hint is if the posts are timed just before heavy travel dates, when hotels and restaurants know people are most likely to be shopping. “We notice a bump in fake reviews right before any travel season,” Khalifah said.

Look closely at photos A photo does a great deal to improve trustworthiness of a post. “Images are really important,” Beal said. “If a review includes images of the property or the food it greatly improves the credibility of the review.”

But the fakers know that, too, and for an extra fee will include photos. One easy-to-spot tell is that bogus reviewers often use a celebrity photo as their avatar. A simple way to double-check the legitimacy of a photo is to do a Google image search, which can reveal whether it was snatched from another site. If there are duplicates, beware.

Take business responses into account Just as important as the comments are the responses from the businesses. “It’s a really big plus for any property that is actually responds,” Beal said. “Then you want to look at what the response is.”

“A lot of businesses come out fighting,” Anderson said. “It’s quite a good rule of thumb to steer clear of the businesses that are pugnacious.” Conversely, he said, no business is perfect, and a conciliatory response “can cover a multitude of things they get wrong.”

Diversify your search It may seem obvious, but don’t do all of your searching on a single site. “My first advice is research as much as possible from as many sources as possible,” Khalifah said. Not just the big travel and booking websites, but vlogs, blogs, Google, Yelp and vacation videos. “That gives you a much better picture.”

A word of caution: Some sites share information, and many are owned by a single company. For instance the Expedia group owns not only Expedia, but also Orbitz, Hotels.com, Trivago and others.

Bring your toolbox The big travel and booking websites count on artificial intelligence to weed out obviously fake reviews. But versions of those tools are available to consumers as well.

Fakespot, Khalifah’s company, offers a Chrome browser extension that analyzes reviews on product and travel sites and awards its own ratings. For instance, on Amazon it can replace stars with its own rating, based on its analysis. Fakespot can also check TripAdvisor and Yelp reviews, although not automatically, and you have to check properties one by one.

Another site, Review Skeptic , which is based on the Cornell research, allows users to cut and paste reviews into a box to be analyzed. They have to be checked one at a time, but the site claims 90 percent accuracy.

Two sites are specific to Amazon, ReviewMeta and Review Summarizer . ReviewMeta runs 12 tests for veracity, while Review Summarizer compares specific attributes of a product and calculates the percentage of positive and negative reviews for that attribute.

The Airbnb conundrum Reviews on the vacation rental site present a special problem. As with eBay and Uber, the guest rates the service, but the service also rates the guest. If a guest writes a critical review, they might get one in return, narrowing the choice of Airbnbs that are likely to accept them as customers. You can try to parse reviews for a hint of dissatisfaction, but there is no effective strategy for spotting fakes. “We receive a lot of requests to add Airbnb and may support it in the future,” Fakespot’s Khalifah said.

In the meantime, you’re on your own.

Furchgott is a writer based in Baltimore. His website is furchgott.com . Find him on Twitter: @royfurchgott .

More from Travel:

How TripAdvisor altered your vacation-planning universe

How to choose a vacation rental

Should you book your vacation rental through a third-party site?

Your Life at Home

The Post’s best advice for living during the pandemic.

Health & Wellness: What to know before your vaccine appointment | Creative coping tips | What to do about Zoom fatigue

Newsletter: Sign up for Eat Voraciously — one quick, adaptable and creative recipe in your inbox every Monday through Thursday.

Parenting: Guidance for vaccinated parents and unvaccinated kids | Preparing kids for “the return” | Pandemic decision fatigue

Food: Dinner in Minutes | Use the library as a valuable (and free) resource for cookbooks, kitchen tools and more

Arts & Entertainment: Ten TV shows with jaw-dropping twists | Give this folk rock duo 27 minutes. They’ll give you a musically heartbreaking world.

Home & Garden: Setting up a home workout space | How to help plants thrive in spring | Solutions for stains and scratches

Travel: Vaccines and summer travel — what families need to know | Take an overnight trip with your two-wheeled vehicle

Worried you have been impacted by the latest data breach? Get protection now .

Worried you have been impacted by the

latest data breach? Get protection now .

How To Avoid Travel Agency Scams (And Fake Booking Sites)

Fraudsters advertise cheap travel via fake websites, social media ads, and phishing messages. Learn how to spot and avoid common online travel scams.

Irina Maltseva

Contributor at Aura

Irina Maltseva is a growth marketer with 10+ years of experience in digital marketing. After being scammed by Airbnb and Booking.com, Irina joined Aura to help the company on its mission to create a safer internet for everyone.

Jory MacKay

Aura Cybersecurity Editor

Jory MacKay is a writer and award-winning editor with over a decade of experience for online and print publications. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Victoria and a passion for helping people identify and avoid fraud.

Aura’s app keeps you safe from scams, fraud, and identity theft. Try Aura for free.

In this article:

Aura’s digital security app keeps your family safe from scams, fraud, and identity theft.

Is It Safe To Book With an Online Travel Agent? 

It’s more common than ever for Americans to book travel online, either directly or through a third-party booking site. But is it safe to book travel online? Not always.

Scammers use fake, spoofed, or misleading online travel booking websites to steal your money and passwords or gather personal information that they can use to steal your identity. According to a recent survey [ * ]:

35% of American travelers say they’ve been scammed while booking online travel.

While travel agency scams pose a year-round threat, they become especially dangerous during the holiday scam season when more people are looking for travel deals to visit family or get away on vacations. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how online travel booking scams work, the latest schemes to watch out for, and how you can stay safe and find a great deal on your next flight, hotel, or vacation.

{{show-toc}}

What Are Travel Agency Scams? How Do They Work?

Travel agency scams occur when fraudsters advertise cheap airfare or “free” vacations on fake websites and social media ads, or through phishing emails, texts, and calls — and then trick you into sharing sensitive information or sending money.

What makes travel booking scams so dangerous is that travelers are accustomed to providing payment and personal information when paying for flights. This includes everything from your credit card numbers to your Social Security number (SSN), passport details, and full address. 

If scammers get access to this kind of personal information, they can use it to steal your identity , empty your bank account, or take over your online accounts .

Here’s how a typical travel agency scam works: 

• Fraudsters create fake travel agencies, or they spoof popular booking sites like Booking.com and Expedia . Most travel scams involve fake — but legitimate-looking — websites for travel companies. Fraudsters may create their own discount travel websites or even spoof popular booking sites. Some scammers even post fake support phone numbers on Google in hopes that you’ll call them when you need to book or change flight details.
• When you call or book online, you’re asked for personal and financial information. These scam services are designed to harvest your personal information or steal your payment details. Even if you end up with a legitimate flight, your information can be sold online to other scammers or identity thieves. (Stolen and forged American passports sell for an average of $850 on the Dark Web [ * ].)
• After booking, you discover that the flight details are different. Fraudulent airline ticket confirmation numbers won’t match real flights, and hotels won’t know about your reservation. If you try to call the “agency” back to resolve these issues, either their number will be disconnected or they’ll pressure you into paying more to “solve” the problem.

While some travel scams are flat out fraud, others are run by legitimate companies that charge excessive add-on fees, have non-existent refund policies, or sell misleading offers at too-good-to-be true discounts. 

The bottom line: Falling for a travel agency scam can put you and your family at risk of fraud or even identity theft. Consider protecting yourself with Aura’s all-in-one digital security solution. Learn more about how Aura keeps you safe from scams, fraud, and identity theft →

The 5 Latest Travel Agency and Online Booking Scams

• Spoofed Booking.com , Expedia , and other booking sites
• Unfamiliar websites offering bargain deals for expensive flights
• Fraudulent airline customer support numbers in Google searches
• Robocalls or messages offering "free" vacation packages
• Follow-up phone calls asking for more information about your booking

Creating online travel and airline scams isa high priority for scammers who know that people are willing to pay serious money and provide sensitive information to get good deals on flights and hotels. 

Here are some of the latest online booking scams to look out for.

1. Spoofed Booking.com , Expedia , and other booking sites

Scammers know that many people who book travel online trust sites like Expedia , Booking.com , and Airbnb . 

In this scam, fraudsters create look-alike websites to mirror these booking platforms, and then link to them via phishing emails or social media ads. But if you book a flight, hotel, or vacation rental through one of these spoofed sites, you’ll lose your money and hand over sensitive information to cybercriminals.

These look-alikes aren’t limited to booking sites. Scammers also spoof major airline carriers — phishing for airline credentials and stealing credit card information that users store in their accounts. 

How to spot and avoid a fake or spoofed travel booking website:

• Double-check the URL. Scammers create websites with URLs that look similar to sites with which you’re familiar (such as Airbnb-booking.com ). Always make sure you’re on the company’s official domain before entering any information. For added protection, check the site’s SSL certificate by clicking on the padlock icon next to the URL, and make sure it was issued to the travel company through which you’re trying to book your reservation.  
• Hover over links in emails before clicking. If you receive an email or see an ad promoting a travel deal, check the link before clicking to ensure that it leads to the company’s official website. 
• Be wary if your usual login information doesn’t work. Fake websites won’t know your username and password. If you get an error when trying to log in, or if you’re redirected back to the login page, you may have given your password to fraudsters. Quickly log in and change your credentials to secure your account.  ‍
• Don’t store financial data in your loyalty accounts. Scammers can crack your password or steal it from a bogus site, giving them full access to your credit card details. Although inconvenient, it’s much safer to physically type in your credit card or loyalty plan number each time you make a purchase.

2. Sketchy travel agencies offering bargain deals for expensive flights

One of the most common travel booking scams involves con artists advertising cheap travel packages on social media platforms or via phishing scams. But this is much more elaborate than just a fake ticket scam. 

Fraudsters purchase and sell what’s called a “reservation hold.” This is a tool used by legitimate travel agencies to hold a ticket price without paying the full amount. When you purchase a “hold,” you receive an official email or text from the airline with a booking confirmation number that works — but only for a week, until the hold expires. 

How to spot and avoid a discount travel scam:

• Avoid “too good to be true” deals. Heavily discounted plane tickets or vacation deals are red flags. If you can’t find the same or a similar deal on the airline’s website (or on trustworthy third-party booking sites), it’s most likely a scam. 
• Always request that an e-ticket number be sent to you. Holds can look identical to travel confirmations but won’t contain a ticket number. If you haven’t given up your payment information yet, don’t — it’s a scam.

💡 Related: How To Spot and Avoid the Latest Airline Scams →

3. Fraudulent airline customer support numbers in Google searches

Scammers list their phone numbers as airline customer service hotlines to attract a constant flow of potential victims. People desperate to change or rebook their flights search for the airline’s customer service phone number via Google, and call one of the first results to show up — not realizing that it may have been manipulated by scammers. 

How to tell if you’ve called a spam number:

• You called a number that appeared in a Google search. Victims have reported calling spoofed customer service numbers that appeared to be from Air France , Delta , American Airlines , and Southwest Airlines [ * ]. The best way to ensure that you call a verified support line is to go to the airline’s official website, find its customer service center, and call the number listed there.
• You’re redirected multiple times. Scammers use technology to spoof their phone numbers to include U.S.-based area codes. When you call those numbers, you’ll speak to someone who redirects you to an international phone number. This may happen several times before you speak with a “representative.”
• They send you texts from a different number. Help desk employees send a confirmation to you via text from a phone number you’ve never seen before. Sometimes, these texts contain spelling or grammatical errors or incorrect flight information.

💡 Related: How To Identify a Scammer On The Phone (With Examples) →

4. Robocalls or messages offering "free" vacation packages

While the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) prevents legitimate telemarketing companies from calling you without your consent, scammers still use robocalls to target millions of potential victims every day [ * ]. 

One of the most popular schemes involves offering “free” vacation packages, or claiming you’re the winner of a sweepstakes you never entered. If you accept the prize, you end up either paying more for a bad vacation — or worse. 

Here’s what could happen on a “free” vacation:

• You’re hard-sold during a timeshare presentation. As part of the “prize,” fraudsters may pressure you into buying into an expensive real estate timeshare in Mexico (or other foreign countries).
• You have to pay for taxes, fees, and other hidden costs. While the flight and hotel may be free, scammers ask for your credit card information to pay for expensive (and unmentioned) fees, taxes, and costs. 
• Your hotel and flight are significantly worse than promised. When you ask specific questions about accommodations and activities, scammers say it’s “highly rated” or “luxury” instead of providing concrete details. You’re almost certainly not getting a five-star hotel for free from a random robocall.
• You won’t have travel insurance. These holidays won’t offer or be covered by travel insurance, meaning that if you have a medical emergency, or if a natural disaster prevents you from traveling, you’ll be on the hook. 

The bottom line: If you’re offered or told that you’ve won a free vacation from a random robocall, it’s a scam. To keep you safe, Aura uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically screen your incoming calls and texts, and can block scammers before they reach you. Learn more about how Aura saves you from spam and scams →

5. Follow-up phone calls asking for more information about your booking

In this sophisticated scam, fraudsters use cheap or last-minute flights as bait — and then call you directly after you book to claim that there was an issue with your personal information, credit card, or the flight itself. 

For example, they may claim they need your SSN to “secure” your ticket, or that your credit card was declined and you will lose the ticket unless you use a wire transfer or payment app. 

How to tell if someone is scamming you over the phone:

• They called you. Consider any incoming call from an unfamiliar number or person a red flag. If someone calls you claiming to be from an airline or travel agency, hang up and call them back via the company’s official phone number. 
• You’re put under pressure to act now . Phone scammers want you to act while they have you on the phone. If someone threatens you with fees or “losing” a flight that you’ve already paid for, this is a huge red flag. 
• You’re asked to pay via alternative methods. Legitimate companies will not ask you to pay via gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrencies, or payment apps like Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App. Always try to book and pay with your credit card, as it offers the highest level of consumer and fraud protections.

Did You Fall for a Travel Agency Scam? Do This

Whether you sent money or gave sensitive information to a fake travel booking site, you need to act quickly to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft. 

Here’s what to do if you think you’ve been the victim of a travel agency scam: 

• Secure your identity and online accounts. Fake travel booking websites can steal your passwords or give hackers enough information to access your other online accounts (email, online banking, etc.). Make sure you’re using unique and strong passwords across all of your accounts. For added security, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible. 
• Freeze your credit. A credit freeze can prevent fraudsters from using your stolen information to take out loans or open accounts in your name. To freeze your credit, contact each of the three credit bureaus individually: TransUnion , Experian , and Equifax .
• File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). An official identity theft report with the FTC is required to dispute fraud and protect you against some of the worst dangers of identity theft . You can file a report online at IdentityTheft.gov. 
• Check your bank and credit statements. Carefully review your latest transactions, and look for any suspicious activity. You can also run a free credit report on AnnualCreditReport.com to look for signs of identity theft, such as unfamiliar loans, accounts, or mortgages.
• Notify your bank’s fraud department. Call your bank’s official customer service line and ask to close any compromised accounts or cards. They’ll be able to help you open new ones and recommend additional security features.
• Report the scam to the proper authorities. There are different agencies to contact, depending on the type of scam to which you’ve fallen prey (and what happened). If you have information that could lead to an arrest, file a police report with local law enforcement. To file a consumer complaint against a company in the travel industry, contact your state’s attorney general’s office . You can also help protect other victims by reporting the scam to the FBI and the FTC.
• Try to get your money back. Your ability to get a refund after a scam depends on the payment method used. For example, if you sent a scammer gift cards, contact the company or retailer from which you bought the cards. For payment apps like Venmo or Zelle, you can try to reverse pending payments. Here’s a full guide on how to get your money back . 
• Monitor your passport numbers and other sensitive information. Scammers may wait to use your stolen personal information, which is why it’s so important to monitor your identity and credit. Try Aura’s award-winning identity theft protection solution free for 14 days to monitor your sensitive information and get access to 24/7 White Glove Fraud Resolution support and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance. 

How To Stay Safe While Booking Online Travel

While everyone would love to get a great deal on their next trip, legitimate deals are hard to find. 

The truth is that, in most cases, the best and safest thing you can do is book through official channels. It may cost a bit more, but you’ll know that your flight is real and that you’ll have access to proper support in the case of a problem. 

If you choose to use a third-party booking site or travel agency, make sure you follow these steps to keep yourself and your family safe: 

• Google “travel agencies” and check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Do a Google search for [Agency/website] + “scam” or “fraud” to find reviews or warnings from previous customers. You can also check the company’s reviews on the Better Business Bureau ’s website.
• Use standard payment methods. Credit card providers offer fraud protection and limited liability if you do get scammed — which is much safer compared to other payment options such as debit cards, payment apps, wire transfers, and gift cards. 
• Use a virtual private network (VPN) when shopping for flights. A VPN will block your location, IP address, and other information from websites, making it harder for scammers to target you with tailored airline scams. As an added bonus, using a VPN can often uncover legitimate deals on flights. 
• Don’t disclose personal information over the phone. If someone calls you and requests sensitive information — such as your passport details , SSN, credit card numbers, or 2FA codes — it’s almost certainly a scam. Hang up, and contact the company or agency directly. 

Booking travel online doesn’t have to be risky — especially if you protect yourself with Aura’s all-in-one digital security solution. 

With Aura, you get award-winning identity theft protection with the industry’s fastest fraud alerts, advanced digital security tools to protect you from hacking and online scams, 24/7 U.S.-based White Glove Fraud Resolution support, and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance for you and your family. 

Don’t let travel scammers ruin your trip. Try Aura free for 14 days .

Editorial note: Our articles provide educational information for you to increase awareness about digital safety. Aura’s services may not provide the exact features we write about, nor may cover or protect against every type of crime, fraud, or threat discussed in our articles. Please review our Terms during enrollment or setup for more information. Remember that no one can prevent all identity theft or cybercrime.

Award-winning identity theft protection with AI-powered digital security tools, 24/7 White Glove support, and more. Try Aura for free .

Related Articles

How To Protect Your Social Security Number From Scammers

Do you know if scammers have your SSN? Learn how to protect your Social Security number and safeguard yourself against identity theft.

Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It in 2024? Only in These Cases

Identity theft protection services aren’t right for everyone. But if you’re a prior victim or have family members to protect, it could make sense for you.

Try Aura—14 Days Free

Start your free trial today**

14 days FREE of All-In-One Protection

4.7 as of March 2024

Make Fake Travel Photos Using AI

Traveling is amazing 🗺️

But sometimes, it’s just not possible.

But what if you still want to capture those dream travel photos?

Imagine having a picture of yourself in front of the Eiffel Tower today and the Great Wall of China tomorrow, all without packing a single bag.

That’s where fake travel photos come in.

And now, thanks to AI, it’s easier than ever.

Whether you’re looking to prank your friends or simply want a fun Instagram update, Pincel AI Portrait is here to help.

How Does It Work?

Pincel makes it simple.

In just a few clicks, you can create realistic travel shots of yourself in front of the world’s most famous landmarks.

Here’s how it works:

Upload your face : All you need is a single photo of your face. Just one and upload it to the AI Portraits Tool .

Pick a famous place : Choose from 20 preset templates. Want to stand under the Eiffel Tower? How about the Pyramids? Maybe the Burj Khalifa?

Generate the image : Click a button, and in less than 30 seconds, the AI places you in your chosen destination.

Download and share : Once you’re happy with your photo, download it. Or, if you want to try something else, you can go back and start over.

But what if your dream destination isn’t in the presets?

Easy. Just type a custom prompt, and modify the locations, clothing weather etc.

Get Started with These Example Locations 👇🏼

Why Fake Travel Photos?

It’s fun! Imagine showing up on social media in places you’ve never been.

You could “visit” five different countries in one afternoon.

Second, it’s a great conversation starter.

These AI-generated tourist images can make for some hilarious stories.

You can also create your own virtual influencers and take them around the world.

And it’s perfect for events: Need an eye-catching image for a themed party or a work presentation?

Use AI Portraits create custom travel or historic portrait photos in no time.

NB: you can also use pincel to replace clothes on a photo, or replace the background on an existing photo.

The Final Boarding Call 📢

Fake travel photos are a blast.

Whether you’re dreaming of new destinations or just looking for a good laugh, Pincel AI Portrait makes it happen.

You can “travel” to the world’s most famous places without leaving your couch.

It’s fast, easy and surprisingly addictive.

So, next time you’re scrolling through Instagram wishing you were somewhere else, why not just go there with AI?

After all, with Pincel, the world really is at your fingertips.

Time to pack your (digital) bags!

Martim Ramos

Founder @ Pincel – Warrior of creative expression, armed with a paintbrush. After using Photoshop for 20 years, I grew tired of its complexity and believe image editing should be easy as a brush stroke. Passionate about sharing my knowledge through blogging.

| Category:

People also search:

Your cart is empty

SHOP BY CATEGORY

CARRY-ON LUGGAGE

CHECKED LUGGAGE

• Aviation Professionals

TRAVEL SCAMS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2021

Travelpro Travel Expert Editor

Travel Planning

As things are getting back to normal, travel has been increasing, which means travel scams are on the rise again as well. And not just the old scams like fake wifi hubs or gifts of rosemary or bracelets — there are plenty of new ones coming up that travelers should be aware of.

As you’re making plans, hackers and cybercriminals are trying everything they can to get personal information from you via fake airfare packages, hotel deals, and more. They know people like travel deals and might sometimes consider a new travel provider, even if they’ve never heard of that provider before. So these   travel scams   are happening before you even leave for the airport!

The problem is, if the travelers don’t do the right research or take every special offer with a grain of salt, they’re more likely to fall for some of these tricks. Here are a few travel scams that we’re hearing about in 2021.

Scammers posing as well-known brands.

On any given day, you may get a call from a local number of someone you don’t know. The voice on the other end is a pre-recorded message, and you get pretty good at spotting those calls and recognizing the telltale pause before the person starts speaking. When it’s not an extended car warranty, it could be someone saying they’re from an airline, hotel, or even cruise line and they either have an offer, or there’s a problem with your account.

Or you get an email from a fake travel provider. It’s one thing if you’ve booked tickets or made reservations, because they may actually email you. But beware of those emails out of the blue, because there’s a good chance those are fake. You can tell if an email is fake if it’s sent from a domain other than the actual travel provider’s domain. Also, hover over different hyperlinks and see what address pops up — again, they should point back to the provider’s domain. If you’re not sure whether the email is legitimate, don’t click any of the links; go straight to the website from your browser and log into your account the normal way.

Vacation rental scams.

Looking at vacation rentals online can be relaxing and it’s fun to daydream about the properties you’re seeing. The photos are attractive and you can lose yourself in the descriptions of the amenities and the incredible environment you could be in.

The problem is, just like the scammers are posing as well-known brands, other scammers are putting up websites for fake rental properties and accepting credit cards to hold reservations. Except the rental doesn’t exist   OR   the property doesn’t look nearly as good as the photos would have you believe. Use Google Earth and Google Street View to check out the property, and be sure to read reviews on Yelp, Google Business, and Trip Advisor. Finally, do a Google search for the property name “in quotes” and see what comes up.

Car rental scams.

The car rental shortage has presented an opportunity for plenty of travel scams. I don’t know how many people I’ve heard from who said they showed up at a car rental agency only to find that they’re out of cars.

But that’s not the scam!   That’s the problem that leads to the scam.

No, the travel scams come in the form of new, unknown car rental agencies that seem to have plenty of rental cars available, according to their websites. They pay a lot of money to post social media ads and build extensive websites all to find people who are desperate for rental cars.

The other part of the scam is that they’ll try to get you to use a gift card and to pay upfront for the car. Don’t fall for this. They use this method so you can’t issue a chargeback on your credit card and seize your money back. No real travel provider will ask for payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards.

Fake airline sites.

Some scammers are even creating fake airline websites just to get people to send money to them. They can look like credible airline sites, or even third-party travel sites similar to Expedia and Kayak. But they’ll use domain names that make you think they’re the real deal, like KayakFlights.com (which is not a real website). A less-savvy traveler might think, “Oh, Kayak has a site just for flights now” and use the website.

Just like the car rental travel scams, these sites will ask you to pay via non-traceable payments like gift cards or cryptocurrency.

TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry.

Be careful if you’re researching TSA rules or if you’re looking to renew your Pre-Check status. For one thing, the official website is TSA. GOV , not .COM or .ORG. So just in case the travel scammers manage to get a fake TSA site high in the search rankings, you’re better off just going straight to the official website via your browser’s address bar and renewing your membership there.

Travel scams are getting more sophisticated. Now, instead of just watching out for pickpockets, money exchange fraudsters, or fake taxi cabs, the cybercriminals are getting in on the act.

What are some travel scams you know about? Have you ever encountered any in the last few years? What are some things we should watch out for? Tell us about it (we promise not to tell!)   on our Facebook page , or   on our Twitter stream . You can also find us on our   Instagram page at @TravelproIntl .

Share on Facebook

Tweet on Twitter

Pin on Pinterest

You might also enjoy

Beginner's Guide to Using Travel Points and Miles

Travelpro Travel Expert Editor The Travelpro® Blog

DESTINATION GUIDE: Destin, Florida

Tips & Tricks For Navigating an Airport Like a Pro

Category Archives: Fake Travel Blogs

Visiting the abbey.

I am finishing my stay at the most extraordinary castle I have ever seen. Highclere Castle is not only the set of show “Downton Abbey”, it has a rich history worth studying. When driving up the Newberry country side, lush beauty blew me away. The green grass stretched on for miles. My driver said,”You should …

Continue reading “Visiting the Abbey”

From the Local Landscape

Sveiki! I recently came back home from a trip to Riga, Latvia! Located in northern Europe, its cuisine mimics the gorgeous forested surroundings. They also use a lot of fish scene they are on the bordering the Baltic sea. I am highly impressed by the earthy and robust flavors of Latvian cuisine. Some of the …

Continue reading “From the Local Landscape”

From Frokost to Kevldsmat

I recently took a trip to Oslo, Norway and was very surprised by their style of cuisine. The locals have been using recipes passed down from their ancestors that have been a tradition for many years. It makes one want to enjoy the dishes with a loved one. I met a Mother-Daughter business partner duo …

Continue reading “From Frokost to Kevldsmat”

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Report this content
• View site in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

Reviews from 'verified' purchasers on Amazon can trick consumers into buying AI-created travel guides. Here's how to spot the scam.

• The New York Times reported a rise in fake travel guides is storming Amazon and tricking travelers.
• The fake books include generic information, sketchy reviews, and similarly fake authors.
• Those searching for books can avoid fake guides by being vigilant and checking reviews or ratings. 

The classic travel guide is being overtaken on online marketplaces like Amazon by completely generic, AI-written ones — but there are a couple of ways to tell if the guide you're looking at is a fake.

According to The New York Times , bogus travel guides are the newest vacation-related scam, fueled by the rise in usage of artificial intelligence .

AI is the main tool used to create the books, since it can create a large amount of generic text, author biographies, and fake reviews to bolster a new book's credibility. Currently, Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing's content guidelines do not prevent users from generating content using AI so long as the content adheres to its other regulations.

To determine if a  book was written and reviewed using AI, the Times used Originality.ai, which rates the likelihood that AI wrote a passage on a scale of 0 to 100, and Fakespot, a browser extension that flags potentially "deceptive" reviews and grades them from A to F.

The books and reviews the Times evaluated were all rated as likely fake or written by artificial intelligence. 

The scam books are often flooded with high praise — one thing to be on the lookout for before buying, the Times warned, was a large number of five-star reviews contrasted with one-star reviews that discuss obviously low-quality or generic content. 

Related stories

"I do not understand how this book gets a 5-star rating. I am utterly dumbfounded," one reviewer said, as a screenshot shows in the Times. "This book has no use. It is just comprised of descriptions, which one can just look up on the internet. It appears like a copy and paste book that is shrouded in the appearance of the ultimate guide on travel in France." 

Even the "verified" buyer tag on an Amazon review can be misleading, the Times said, since it can be applied to people who downloaded a book for free — either when an author runs a free promotion or if the person subscribes to a service like Kindle Unlimited, which allows a user to read unlimited books for a set monthly fee. After, that user has the ability to post a review with as a "verified" buyer despite not having spent any money on the book. 

Other ways to spot a fake guide include examining the author and their photo. If a photo of an author shows signs consistent with AI generation — like blurry backgrounds or odd deformities in an otherwise perfect photo — says the Times, then exercise caution. An internet search of an author can also reveal their previous work and credentials, or lack thereof.

Though travel guide author Rick Stevens, who spoke with the Times about the fake guides, did not seem concerned about the AI writers taking his job.

"Amazon is constantly evaluating emerging technologies and innovating to provide a great shopping experience for our customers. All publishers in the store must adhere to our content guidelines, including compliance with intellectual property rights and all other applicable laws," Amazon spokesperson Lindsay Hamilton said in an email to Insider. "We invest significant time and resources to ensure our guidelines are followed and remove books that do not adhere to these guidelines. We have zero tolerance for fake reviews and want Amazon customers to shop with confidence knowing that the reviews they see are authentic and trustworthy," the statement continued. "We have clear policies that prohibit reviews abuse. We suspend, ban, and take legal action against those who violate these policies and remove inauthentic reviews."

Watch: Expert tips on how to spot fake jewelry, sneakers, watches and handbags

• Main content

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

5 Scary Travel Scams to Watch Out for in 2021

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Executive Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Caroline has a passion for adventure travel and has hiked to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the bottom of the Grand Canyon in pursuit of a good story. Follow her around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline .

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

As travel resumes, so have travel scams. Scammers are getting more sophisticated, and can easily trick travelers out of their hard-earned vacation money. We’ve uncovered five of the most common travel scams for 2021, so you can outsmart the scammers.

Fake Car Rental Scams

With rental cars in short supply for 2021, desperate travelers looking for any vehicle to rent are particularly vulnerable to scammers. Amy Nofziger, Director of Victim Support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network tells us one common scam for 2021 involves criminals creating fake car rental company websites, and then buying ads for their fake pages to show up for search terms such as “cheap car rentals”. The unsuspecting browser would then call the fake customer service number on the page (which appeared to be for a legitimate car rental company) and be told that the cheap rate was only valid if they pre-paid with a store-bought gift card (like an American Express gift card). The victim would buy a gift card and use it to secure their reservation, only to find out upon arrival at the real rental car counter that they were scammed and no car was available. 

5 Ways to Book a Car During the Car Rental Shortage

“Free” Vacation Scams

If you get a phone call, email, or postcard telling you that you’ve won a free vacation (and just need to pay taxes and fees) or offering you a deal that sounds way too good to be true, walk away, says Nofziger. 

If the deal is coming from a legitimate travel company, look up the information for that company separately (don’t use the contact information that was sent to you, which could be redirected to a scammer) to verify separately. 

One other red flag to watch for—if the company is asking you to pay with a prepaid gift card or debit card, it’s likely to be a scam, because it’s significantly harder to get back stolen funds on those types of cards rather than a credit card.

Vacation Rental Scams

Found a picture-perfect vacation rental online? Make sure to check the vacation rental site’s fraud policies to make sure you’ll be protected in case your booking turns out to be a scam. Nofziger recommends carefully following the booking platform’s guideline’s on accepted payments to best protect yourself and to always pay with a credit card for extra protection.

Common vacation rental scams involve fake listings, inaccurate listings, or renters sending you a fake cashier’s check or money order for more money than they owe you (and asking you to send them the excess amount before you realize the check is fake).

Unsure about the vacation rental company you’re thinking of booking with? Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website for complaints, says Nofziger. You can also search the company name plus the words “scam”, “fraud”, or “complaints” to find cautionary reviews online.

The 14 Best Vacation Rental Sites for Travelers in 2021

Fake Airline Sites

Similar to the car rental scam above, fake airline sites have become prolific lately. If you search for cheap airline tickets and find a ticket reseller that you’ve never heard of, precede with caution. “The red flag is they will always ask you for payment in a gift card, bitcoin, or other non-traceable forms of payment”, warns Nofziger. “Be very careful when on any travel website of pop-ups. We have heard from many consumers that thought they were on the correct website when they entered their payment information when in fact it was a third-party pop-up travel site where the prices were increased and the cancellation policies were different.”

TSA PreCheck/Global Entry Scams

Another place to watch out for spoof websites is when applying for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry . These fake sites look just like the government ones but will steal your sensitive personal information and money. In the example pictured, the first (paid) result that comes up when you search “Global Entry” is for a third-party Global Entry site, not the actual government website.

If you’re applying or renewing your membership, don’t search for “TSA PreCheck” or “Global Entry”. Go directly to the official government websites via cbp.gov and tsa.gov .

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Amalfi Coast: 7-Nt, Active Family Tour...

Exodus Adventure Travels

16-Night Hawaiian Islands Cruise Over Christmas...

Princess Cruises

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

Five Stars, Zero Clue: Fighting the ‘Scourge’ of Fake Online Reviews

Third parties pay writers for posts praising or panning hotels, restaurants and other places they never visited. How review sites like Yelp and Tripadvisor are trying to stop the flood.

By Maria Cramer

Oobah Butler knew it was wrong to write fake online reviews for restaurants where he had never dined.

But he was 21, broke and living in his parents’ house in Feckenham, an English village 115 miles northwest of London. A faceless vendor on a website that advertised freelance work offered to pay him 10 pounds, about $15 at the time, for each review he wrote and posted on the travel site Tripadvisor.

The job was simple. He would receive an email with the restaurant’s name. Then he would log into one of the four or five profiles he had set up on Tripadvisor to avoid suspicion, look at pictures of the restaurant’s food and study the menu.

The reviews were always positive (raving was a job requirement) and “verbose,” he said.

One post said a waiter was so attentive he should get a raise. Another said something along the lines of “this place has one of the finest Greek pastries in London.”

“I wasn’t even living in London at the time,” Mr. Butler said. “I was writing from a very limited experience of curry houses and chip shops. At the time I was more versed in beans and toast.”

It has been 10 years since Mr. Butler, now 30 and actually living in London, has written false reviews, but plenty of others have stepped in where he left off.

In 2022, Yelp, another review site, said its moderators removed more than 700,000 posts that violated its policies — including many that were abusive or deceptive. In 2020, more than 26 million reviews were posted on Tripadvisor. The company said it took down nearly one million it deemed fraudulent, according to its 2021 transparency report.

Fake reviews have led to legal consequences. In 2018, the owner of PromoSalento, an Italian company offering to write paid reviews of hospitality businesses, was sentenced to nine months in prison after an Italian court determined that he had used a fake identity to write false reviews on Tripadvisor.

Last November, Google filed a lawsuit against dozens of companies and websites, accusing them of carrying out “a large-scale scam” to mislead small businesses by selling them “fake or worthless services,” including “the option of essentially flooding a competitor’s business profile” found on Google search with fake negative reviews or ratings.

Sites like Yelp and Tripadvisor say false reviews represent a tiny percentage of the overall posts that make it online. They point to their use of technology and human investigators, which allows them to weed out bad posts so they rarely get published.

Still, as customers rely more and more on the ratings of people who say they have patronized a restaurant or a hotel, the need to update technology that separates authentic posts from false ones is only growing.

In October, representatives from Yelp, Tripadvisor, Trustpilot, Google and several other review sites met for a one-day closed-door conference in San Francisco to discuss how they could work together to tackle fake online reviews. It was the first time such a meeting had been held, said Becky Foley, the senior director of trust and safety at Tripadvisor, which organized the summit. The Federal Trade Commission, which is looking into strengthening penalties against companies that solicit and sell fake reviews, also sent a representative, Ms. Foley said.

The big business of fake review writers “is bad for all of us,” she said. “If people don’t trust reviews on Yelp, then they’re not going to trust reviews on Tripadvisor.”

Sleuths on a mission

Review sites use automated systems with built-in algorithms to scour data and detect inauthentic or problematic posts.

Neither Yelp nor Tripadvisor would provide details of how their systems work because they did not want to telegraph the knowledge to potential fraudsters.

There are some obvious examples of a questionable post. For instance, a large number of positive reviews coming from a hotel in Cancún, Mexico, might suggest that the posts are being generated by the business itself, not by people who have stayed there.

Overwhelmingly, false posts are positive, Ms. Foley said. They can come through paid writers or from patrons who feel pressured by the business to post a glowing review or are offered incentives to do so.

Noorie Malik, the vice president for user operations at Yelp, said some hotels thrust smart screens in front of guests as they’re leaving and ask them to leave reviews on the spot, which could pressure them into giving unearned praise.

One hotel in Buena Park, Calif., offered discounts to guests who agreed to write five-star reviews, Ms. Malik said. Yelp said it learned of the discounts from one of its users.

That’s just the kind of tip a human investigator is waiting to pounce on. A computer algorithm can flag a pattern or a post, but when questionable reviews need deeper scrutiny, sites rely on specialized detectives, who say they also work proactively, looking for potential abuses.

Sometimes investigators conduct sting operations, going on websites that sell reviews and pretending to be business owners seeking to boost their ratings, Ms. Foley said.

“At any given time, I probably have three or four conversations going with different fraudsters that are out there,” said one senior investigator at Tripadvisor who has worked for the company for 15 years and was a mechanic before he started.

The investigators at Tripadvisor come from a wide range of backgrounds. Some were police officers or detectives who investigated fraud or child exploitation. Others worked in cybersecurity.

The two who spoke to The New York Times asked to remain anonymous and, during an online interview, kept their faces hidden out of fear they might be targeted. Some investigators have been threatened by users who were taken off the site after they were found to have written false reviews, Ms. Foley said.

The biggest requirements for the job are curiosity and tenacity, said Robert O’Neill, the senior investigations manager of trust and safety at Tripadvisor.

Successful investigators, he said, should have “this idea of not leaving well enough alone.”

Another senior investigator at Tripadvisor said he applied for the job on the advice of a friend, who thought he would be perfect as a content moderator because of his obsessive research into vacation spots and restaurants.

“My friends thought I was a spreadsheet nerd,” said the investigator, who worked as an office manager and in graphic arts before joining Tripadvisor 19 years ago.

For him, uncovering false reviews is personal.

He recalled a trip he took to London a few years ago for work. In a hurry, he rushed into a restaurant — “an unvetted food choice” — and bought a chicken hand pie that he ate on his way to a meeting. Later, he was afflicted with horrific food poisoning that ruined the next leg of his trip in the Netherlands.

“These are moments of our life that you might think of when you look back. And to have it ruined by a bad meal or a horrible hotel,” he said, his voice shaking, then trailing off. “I just feel great that I can play a part.”

The F.T.C., which declined to confirm sending a representative to the October summit, announced that same month that it was looking into creating a rule that would “prevent unfair or deceptive marketing utilizing reviews and endorsements.”

“This scourge persists,” said Samuel Levine, the director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the F.T.C., in a statement.

“Unfair or deceptive” acts or practices in commerce are prohibited under the Federal Trade Commission Act. That language could include buying or selling fake reviews, but the F.T.C. said it was proposing a rule to define more clearly what conduct is prohibited and give the agency the power to seek civil penalties, like fines, on a first violation.

The agency has asked for public comment on the rule. Several companies, including Yelp, Google and Tripadvisor, have written testimonials in support of the effort.

‘It’s basically extortion’

Mr. Butler, the London writer, said his experience writing false posts made him “obsessed” with Tripadvisor’s review system and the power it seemed to hold over the public and restaurant owners.

Mr. Butler took his deceit to new heights in 2017, when he made up a restaurant and began writing fake reviews about it. He called it the Shed at Dulwich, a name inspired by the run-down backyard behind an apartment he rented for £800 a month.

He described it as a unique dining experience that was open by appointment only and served entrees named after moods like “empathetic,” “lust” and “contemplation.” He and his friends wrote enough five-star reviews that after a few months, the Shed rose to become the top rated restaurant in London on Tripadvisor.

Mr. Butler opened the restaurant for one night, never charging the guests for packaged lasagnas and macaroni and cheese he and his friends served them.

When he revealed his ruse in a Vice article, he was bombarded with media attention. An anchor on “Good Morning Britain” called him “naughty.” An investor in Dubai said he would pay Mr. Butler to replicate what he did with the Shed for his own restaurant, which didn’t even exist yet.

He also heard from restaurant owners, who said his experiment underscored the problem of trying to placate customers to get high ratings.

“There is a real sense of injustice that people who work in hospitality feel toward these platforms,” Mr. Butler said.

That feeling is familiar to Chris Wiken, the owner of the Packing House, a restaurant in Milwaukee that his parents opened in 1974.

For years, he said he has dealt with negative posts from two types of people: customers who wait until they leave the restaurant to complain online and reviewers who never ate at the restaurant at all.

When he replies to their posts, he says, he has learned they are typically looking for the same thing: money or gift certificates.

“It’s basically extortion,” Mr. Wiken said.

In five years, he said he had spent thousands of dollars sending out gift cards worth $150 to $250 to get bad reviews taken down.

“What’s the alternative? They can go on and keep trashing you,” he said. “They can create new profiles and keep writing fake reviews.”

He has four-star ratings on both Yelp and Tripadvisor. But he said he would trade all his positive posts for the end of online review sites.

And despite the best efforts of sites like Yelp and Tripadvisor, and a federal push to stamp out fake reviews, the financial incentive to seek and write those posts remains strong, even if the writers know that what they are doing may be wrong.

Mr. Butler, who wrote a book about his escapades as a fake reviewer, summed it up this way: “When you’re desperate you don’t really think about it, do you?”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2023 .

Maria Cramer is a reporter on the Metro desk. Please send her tips, questions and complaints about the New York police and crime at [email protected] . More about Maria Cramer

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Lima, Peru : The city, with its decade-long dining boom , now holds three places on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, as many chefs embrace Indigenous Andean and Amazonian ingredients in the seafood.

Kyoto, Japan :  The Japanese city is famous for its temples and gardens, but it is laced with waterways  that can offer a different, and no less enchanting, view.

Marseille, France :  Get the full flavor of France’s second-largest city through its favorite street food — pizza  — whether it’s topped with raw garlic, sweet Corsican sausage, Emmental cheese or anchovies.

Rafting in Montana :  On a family trip in Montana, a father shares a tradition with his two sons  even as climate change threatens the certainty of the rivers he grew up running.

• Investigates
• Houston Life
• Newsletters

Autopsy photos shown in Goines trial for deadly Harding St. raid

Day 8 of the gerald goines murder trial.

Ninfa Saavedra , Digital Content Specialist

HOUSTON, Texas – Day eight of the murder trial for the former Houston Police Department narcotics officer Gerald Goines has come to an end after jurors saw autopsy photos of Harding Street homeowners Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas.

On Thursday, Lt. Jeff Wolf will return to the witness stand.

On Tuesday, Judge Nelson dismissed the court a bit early, allowing the state time to fully address their concerns regarding the defenses’ questioning of Texas Ranger Wolf about the officer statements he collected during his investigation of the deadly Harding Street raid.

• Who fired first? Jurors hear from Texas Ranger who investigated deadly Harding St. raid

The prosecution noted that while the defense can question Wolf about the officers’ statements, they are not permitted to enter them into evidence.

The defense wants to have the statements admitted.

• Questions remain over ‘friendly fire’ in Harding St. raid

Judge Nelson made her ruling shortly before court began, deciding not to allow the officer’s statements to be admitted.

If you missed the first week and last two days of the trial, here’s a recap of our coverage:

• Ex-Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo defends ordering officers to turn off body cam after deadly Harding St. raid
• Ex-HPD narcotics officer reveals never-before-seen body camera video of deadly Harding Street raid during testimony
• Ex-HPD Chief Acevedo silent on video showing he ordered body cam shutdown after botched Harding Street raid
• Ex-HPD narcotics officer’s lies led to deadly Harding Street raid, prosecutors argue
• Written note by Gerald Goines confirms there was no confidential informant in deadly Harding Street raid
• Court video, testimony reveal former HPD Chief Art Acevedo told officer to turn off body camera after deadly raid
• Day 2 of Gerald Goines murder trial: State drilling down on initial 911 call that got things going
• THE BENCH: Gerald Goines murder trial for deadly Harding Street raid to begin Monday

KPRC 2 Investigates team Reporter Mario Diaz , Senior Investigates Producer Jason Nguyen , Senior Special Projects Producer Andrea Slaydon , and Digital Content Specialist Ninfa Saavedra will be at the trial dishing out the latest updates for ‘The Bench: Gerald Goines.’

5:31 p.m. - Court is dismissed for the day

Court will resume Thursday at 10 a.m.

5:30 p.m. - Dr. Gumpeni is dismissed

5:22 p.m. - prosecutors pass witness to defense.

Defense Attorney William Reagan Wynn began his questioning of Dr. Gumpeni by asking about the medications found in Tuttle’s system at the time of his death.

Dr. Gumpeni confirmed that none of the substances present would have impaired Tuttle’s vision during the raid.

Wynn then asked Dr. Gumpeni to clarify the classification of Tuttle’s death as a homicide. Dr. Gumpeni explained that while a death may be classified as a homicide, this does not rule out the possibility that it was justified; it simply indicates that the death resulted from the actions of another person.

4:02 p.m. - Dr. Pramod Gumpeni, Assistant Deputy Chief Medical Examiner at Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, is called to the stand

Dr. Gumpeni has been with the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences for 17 years. His colleague conducted the autopsies of Tuttle and Nicholas on January 29 and 30, but Dr. Gumpeni is testifying in her place because she is currently on vacation.

He stated that he reviewed the case files, scene photos, and autopsy reports for both Tuttle and Nicholas, beginning his review in mid-August. Based on his examination of the records, he was able to determine the cause of death for both individuals.

Dr. Gumpeni explained that during an autopsy, up to 100 photos are typically taken.

Before the images were shown, Attorney Manning prepared the jurors and the families of Tuttle and Nicholas.

The first autopsy shown was of Nicholas, who was 58 years old, stood 5′9″, and weighed 128 pounds. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the torso, and Dr. Gumpeni classified the manner of death as homicide.

When asked if Nicholas was tested for heroin, Dr. Gumpeni said, that according to the initial toxicology report, she was not tested for heroin.

Autopsy photos of Tuttle, who was 59 years old, stood 5′7″ and weighed 112 pounds, were then shown in the courtroom, which displayed injuries to his arm and fingers. The images revealed significant damage, with parts of his arm and knuckles severely lacerated. Dr. Gumpeni classified Tuttle’s manner of death as homicide.

3:41 p.m. - Defense passes witness back to prosecutors

After hours of questioning Wolf about officers who were involved in the deadly raid statements, attorney Secrest passed the witness back to prosecutors who decided they would re-examine Wolf but at a later time.

Another witness needed to be called to testify due to a scheduling conflict.

2:03 p.m. - Court resumes

Defense attorney George Secrest continues questioning Texas Ranger Jeff Wolf.

Attorney Secrest is now showcasing the gear the narcotics officers wore during the deadly raid. Shortly after that, he pulls out the gun Tuttle used to shoot at officers during the deadly raid and asks Wolf to identify it.

Editors note: Although Wolf is a state’s witness, he has spent more time on the stand answering questions from defense attorney Secrest than he did by the state. Secrest has had Wolf answer several questions to validate the statements made by officers involved in the deadly raid by having him read and confirm what they wrote in their statement following the raid.

Attorney Secrest demonstrated how one of the officers explained in his statement he saw Tuttle standing with his firearm aimed at officers entering the home. Secrest asks Wolf if his demonstration to the courtroom was how Tuttle may have been standing and pointing his weapon at officers, Wolf says “Yes, the stance was possibly the same stand Tuttle was in.”

Secrest questions Wolf about Nicholas being shot and where she ended up, which was on the opposite end of the couch as Medina, the officer she is accused of standing over and possibly trying to reach for his weapon. Secrest asks if there’s anything weird or unusual about Nicholas being a step or two away from where she was standing over Medina, Wolf says no because when you’re shot, most times you’re still able to move for some time until you collapse.

In previous testimony, the state said Nicholas was on the west end of the couch and seated when she was shot, nowhere near Medina, Secrest asked Wolf if Nicholas might have been on the west end of the couch and sitting, according to the evidence, he answered that it was not possible. Wolf said Nicholas moved when she was shot and the bullet was moving through her body.

Wolf said the only way for Nicholas to have received the gunshots she received, she had to be leaning forward.

Secrest then asked about friendly fire and if it was possible in this case, Wolf said he did not believe it occurred during this incident.

1:00 p.m. - Court breaks for lunch

10:19 a.m. - texas ranger jeff wolf takes the stand.

Wold reiterates that he received all of the information, including police reports from the night of the deadly raid from the District Attorney’s Office.

Wolf said after he reviewed the information, he went to the Harding Street home and used the 3D scanner to observe the gun flight panels from the night of the deadly raid. Wolf visited the home nearly six months after the shooting.

Attorney Secrest handed Wolf a copy of the sworn statements from the officers at the scene, which Wolf testified that he had reviewed before conducting a 3D scan at the Harding Street home. The statements were provided by the District Attorney’s office. While the defense offered these statements into evidence, they were not admitted. However, the defense was permitted to question Wolf about the statements.

Regarding the 3D scan at 7815 Harding Street, Wolf testified that he evaluated the findings with three other rangers. When he operated the 3D scanner, he said another ranger assisted him at the scene, which is standard protocol. Wolf then explained that the scanning process took most of the day. He said the tool is a survey device that can only capture what is visible. He further clarified that it required significant time to collect the data and that he needed to take the scan back to his office for analysis.

Using the 3D scanner, Wolf said he was able to determine the positions of the narcotics officers and the firearms used and was able to reconstruct the sequence of events. Wolf said he was asked by the DA’s Office to establish who fired at who and what occurred during the deadly raid.

When Secrest inquired if the Harding Street scene was a complicated scene to analyze, Wolf said it was a detailed scene but added he had worked on far more complicated cases.

During his testimony, Wolf agreed that officers said they announced themselves before entering the Harding Street home. Officer Frank Medina, according to his statement, said “Police, search warrant,” before entering the home. Medina then proceeded to the left, followed by other officers, Wolf testified.

Secrest asked if Medina’s statement mentioned that Officer Goines had provided information that Tuttle was previously seen with a gun at the home. Wolf confirmed that Medina’s statement included this information, as well as the fact that Goines did not have a layout of the home before the officers entered.

According to Medina’s written statement, after shouting “police,” he entered the house and moved to the left to address a possible threat, which could have been either the dog or Tuttle’s firearm.

Secrest continues to grill Wolf on the officers’ statements, and asks did Medina’s written statement included information that Nicholas was yelling at officers and ignoring commands, Wolf agreed.

According to a written statement by Officer Pardo, he said Nicholas was standing over Medina and yelling at him aggressively while moving toward his gun. Wolf was asked if he read that in the statement, to which he agreed that he did.

Wolf also testified that, according to the 3D analysis, Nicholas was found in a position where she could have been possibly standing over Medina when she was shot and killed.

The attorney then asked about two shots that were heard on bodycam video minutes after the initial shooting, Wolf testified those shots came from Officer Eric Sepolio who shot the dog.

`10:17 a.m. - Court resumes - Jury is brought in

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Ninfa saavedra.

Recommended Videos

Money blog: Britons warned against posting their voice online; this savings account is obvious choice for 18 to 39-year-olds

The Money blog is your place for personal finance and consumer news. After inflation remained unchanged last month, the Bank of England is meeting to decide whether to cut interest rates - with the announcement coming at midday. Leave a comment in the box below.

Thursday 19 September 2024 07:31, UK

• Bumper interest rate cut in US - and how it could influence Bank of England today
• Britons warned against posting their voice online - as celebrity joins AI scam campaign
• Inflation sticks above target at 2.2%

Essential reads

• The UK region where women earn 60p for every £1 a man earns
• Cheap Eats: Top chef picks eats in Scotland - and shares cheap pizza recipe

Tips and advice

• This savings account is obvious choice for anyone aged 18 to 39  
• How you could minimise impact of budget tax rises
• What temperature should I set my thermostat?
• Money Problem: 'My holiday cottage was cancelled with one day's notice'

Ask a question or make a comment

The phone rings and it is the distinctive voice of Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt at the end of the line, seemingly speaking to his daughter.

"Hi Peggy, I'm on my way to a shoot and trying to send you some money for the weekend.

"Can you send me a picture of your card so I've got your details? Thanks hun. Bye!"

Except James Nesbitt is the one who answered the phone - and he has never said those words before.

Voice cloning scams are the latest, terrifying, use of AI and could catch out millions of Britons this year, according to new research released by Starling Bank.

Voice cloning, where fraudsters use AI technology to replicate the voice of a friend or family member, can be done from as little as three seconds of audio - which can be easily captured from a video someone has uploaded online, or to social media.

To launch the campaign, Starling Bank has recruited leading actor James Nesbitt to have his voice cloned by AI technology, demonstrating just how easy it is for anyone to be scammed.

Starling Bank has launched the Safe Phrases campaign, in support of the government's Stop! Think Fraud campaign, encouraging the public to agree on a "safe phrase" with their close friends and family that no one else knows, to allow them to verify that they are really speaking to them in a bid to try and catch out scammers.

James Nesbitt agreed to have his voice cloned as part of the campaign's launch.

Speaking after hearing his voice, he said: "I think I have a pretty distinctive voice, and it's core to my career. So to hear it cloned so accurately was a shock. You hear a lot about AI, but this experience has really opened my eyes (and ears) to how advanced the technology has become, and how easy it is to be used for criminal activity if it falls into the wrong hands.

"I have children myself, and the thought of them being scammed in this way is really scary."

How bad are AI scams?

Data from Starling Bank found that more than a quarter (28%) of UK adults say they have been targeted by an AI voice cloning scam at least once in the past year.

Yet nearly half (46%) have never even heard of such scams.

Nearly one in ten people (8%) said they would send money to someone if they were victims of a voice-cloning scam, even if they thought the call seemed strange. This means millions of pounds are at risk.

Lisa Grahame, chief information security officer at Starling Bank, said: "People regularly post content online which has recordings of their voice, without ever imagining it's making them more vulnerable to fraudsters."

Lord Sir David Hanson, fraud minister at the Home Office, said: "AI presents incredible opportunities for industry, society and governments but we must stay alert to the dangers, including AI-enabled fraud.

"As part of our commitment to working with industry and other partners, we are delighted to support initiatives such as this through the Stop! Think Fraud campaign and provide the public with practical advice about how to stay protected from this appalling crime."

For this week's Savings Guide,  Savings Champion  co-founder Anna Bowes has a round-up of the best LISA accounts to save your money into. 

The latest official figures released yesterday morning showed that inflation remained unchanged in August at 2.2% - although this is slightly above the government target of 2%, it was in line with what economists and the markets were expecting.

Core inflation, however, has increased - and this looks specifically at the underlying rate of inflation, so excludes items that are subject to erratic and seasonal price movements or temporary supply shocks and gives a clearer picture of the overall health of the economy.

This means the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee is likely to leave the base interest rate at 5% at today's meeting - the decision will be announced at midday. But let's not forget that the trajectory is still downwards.

While bad news for savers, this is good news for those with or looking for a mortgage.

So if you are saving for a deposit on your first home, this makes the LISA an even more important savings account to consider - it's tax-free, offers interest and you can benefit from a 25% government bonus on each deposit.

The LISA is the obvious choice for anyone aged between 18 and 39.

You can deposit up to £4,000 a year and you'll keep your 25% bonus as long as you use the proceeds to buy your first house or as a retirement pot. 

There are plenty of rules to watch out for with a LISA, so it's important to know the restrictions as well as the benefits before committing the money. 

For example, there is a penalty for withdrawing the cash before the age of 60 for anything other than a first home purchase and the LISA must be held for a minimum of 12 months to avoid the charge.

US interest rates have been slashed for the first time in more than four years - and by more than many expected - amid fears the world's largest economy is flagging, writes our business reporter Sarah Taaffe-Maguire .

Not since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic has there been a drop in the cost of US borrowing as its central bank, the Federal Reserve, brought interest rates down by 0.5 percentage points on Wednesday evening.

The monetary regulator, known as the Fed, brought the interest rates down to 4.75% to 5%.

Unlike the UK, the US interest rate is a range to guide lenders rather than a single percentage.

Bringing down inflation to 2% is a primary goal of the Fed and it has used interest rates to draw money out of the economy by making borrowing more costly.

Latest figures show the Fed is not far from its target - inflation fell to 2.5% in August, the lowest rate in three years.

But signs of a weakening economy emerged last month as data on job creation led to recession fears.

While stock market reaction is not within the Fed's remit, there were jitters among investors which led to a  global stock market sell-off  early in August.

Those fears did ease, however, after a  stronger performance  for job creation eased financial market fears this month.

What about the UK?

It comes as the Bank of England meets on Thursday to make its own interest rate decision.

While the Bank will focus on UK economic data - and this afternoon was expected by markets to hold rates - it could be influenced by US decision-making.

Lower interest rates tend to weaken currencies, so a big cut from the Fed could be good news for the pound.

While being able to buy more dollars is good news for people holidaying in the US and paying for imports like oil, it's bad news for exporters who get less for their goods as a result and have a less competitive product.

Lower exports can slow inflation, meaning the Bank could be more likely to cut.

Last week we reported that 300 John Lewis and Waitrose stores will be closed on Boxing Day, as a way of rewarding hard-working staff (you can read more about that here ) - and now another supermarket giant is following suit.

Aldi will now also be closed on 25 and 26 December to "thank colleagues once again for all their hard work".

Opening hours will vary in the build-up to Christmas, with Aldi operating extended hours.

Spokesman Richard Thornton said: "Customers will have plenty to look forward to in the run-up to Christmas, with exciting Christmas ranges hitting shelves in time for the festive season."

The supermarket also recently announced it plans to open 23 new locations before the end of the year - including in Muswell Hill, London and Mere Green, Birmingham.

Private rents in the UK increased by 8.4% in the past year, according to official figures.

Meanwhile, house prices rose 2.2% on average, the Office for National Statistics figures showed, reaching an average of £290,000, a slowing on previous months. The only area to buck this trend was London.

Aimee North, ONS head of housing market indices, said: "Annual house price growth slowed this month. The North East saw the highest annual growth while London was the only region to show annual price falls.

"Rental prices continue to climb at a near-record rate, although the pace of the increase has slowed slightly. London again saw the fastest growth in rents, with the slowest rise in the South West of England."

By Megan Harwood-Baynes , cost of living specialist

Today is the UN-declared Equal Pay Day, the day in the year when women's earnings internationally pause compared to their male counterparts.

In the UK, because our gender pay gap is below the worldwide average, Equal Pay Day usually falls later in the year - last year it was 22 November.

In the past year, however, the UK appears to have made almost no progress when it comes to closing the gender pay gap, with women earning just 74p for every pound earned by a man, new data has found.

It also reveals the "most financially sexist" region of the UK, using AI to analyse more than a million CVs with known salary information.

North East falls short

The North East was top of the chart for the biggest gender pay gap, using this method of analysis. With a gap of 40%, it means on average a woman earns 60p for every pound a man earns.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland had the narrowest gender pay gap, at 15.6%.

Hover below to see how your region compares to the rest of the UK...

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna, said: "It is deeply concerning that regions such as the North East, South West and South East England continue to report a gender pay gap exceeding 30%."

What does this mean in the UK?

On last year's UK Equal Pay Day, the Fawcett Society, which campaigns for women's rights, revealed working women take home £574 less each month than men - equating to £6,888 a year.

At the rate the UK is going, the gender pay gap in the country won't close until 2051, it said.

Women aged 40 and older (those born before 1983) also won't see the gender pay gap close before they reach state pension age. 

The reason for this pay disparity in the UK is complex but often comes down to the fact that women feel they have no choice but to accept lower-paid, lower-quality work in exchange for flexible working as they deal with household and childcare responsibilities. 

Every Wednesday we ask top chefs to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and when they cook at home. This week we speak to  David Smith, head chef of Michelin-recommended  The Dipping Lugger , in Ullapool, Ross-shire.

Hi David, can you tell us your favourite places around the Highlands where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

One of the best value food options locally would have to include The Seafood Shack on Argyle Street in Ullapool. They serve fantastic local shellfish, and they do a fantastic haddock wrap.

Xoko Bake House and Coffee Bar in Inverness is another fabulous place to grab something from, including a delicious-filled croissant or a tasty sweet treat. 

What is your go-to cheap eat to cook at home when you have a night in?

We love to make pizzas at home. Making them from scratch is definitely worth the effort. Spending a little bit of time and doing things properly delivers something that tastes so much better than if you didn't make the effort. 

A little cheat for making pizza at home is to cook the base on the stovetop in a frying pan, then simply cover it with your chosen toppings and place it under the grill to finish it off.

Here's a recipe for tomato sauce to get you started:

• 1 tin chopped tomatos (400g) 
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped fine)
• 1 tsp sugar
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• Several freshly torn basil leaves

1. Place the oil in a pan over medium heat. When warm, add the garlic and cook until softened (not more than a minute).

2. Pour the tomatoes into the pan.

3. Add all the remaining ingredients, then simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.

4. The sauce can be used straight away or placed in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to a week. 

How did you get into cheffing?

I got into cooking when I was aged 14 or 15 and I was washing the dishes at a local hotel kitchen. 

I saw the chefs working and loved the camaraderie of the whole team. I spent all of my free time watching the chefs, asking questions and finding out as much as I could.

My persistence paid off and within a year the head chef took me on as an apprentice commis chef on the condition I agreed to supplement my learning by studying at Inverness College. From that point on I knew being a chef was what I wanted to do, and I've loved every minute ever since. 

We've spoken to lots of top chefs - check out their cheap eats from around the country here...

Train drivers have voted overwhelmingly to accept a multiyear pay deal, ending a two-year dispute at 16 rail companies, their union ASLEF has announced.

More than 96% of members voted in favour of the deal, which is worth 15% over three years.

The ballot result ends what Aslef called the longest train drivers' strike in recent history, during which drivers took 18 days of strike action.

The offer was made by the new Labour government within weeks of the party winning the general election.

Aslef had accused the previous Conservative administration of "sitting on its hands" and refusing to negotiate.

For more on this breaking news story, click here:

By  Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

It's a busy morning for announcements from companies that play a role in the lives of most Britons.

We've found out the billionaire co-owner of Asda, Mohsin Issa, will step down from his role - this is not long after his brother, Zuber Mohsin, stepped down as co-chief executive having sold his stake in the business to private equity company TDR Capital in June.

Lord Stuart Rose and Rob Hattrell, an executive at TDR, who own a majority share in Asda, will lead the supermarket. 

Elsewhere British Steel, which runs steelworks in Scunthorpe, announced losses of £408m for the year ending December 2022, up from a £49.5m loss a year earlier. 

On the markets, the benchmark UK index was down 0.57%, while the larger and more UK-focused FTSE 250 index fell 0.35%. 

The price of oil ticked up to $72.48, the highest in a week but still lower than the vast majority of nearly the past three years. 

The pound has risen again against the dollar and is now above $1.32 as the US central bank known as the Fed plots a chunky interest rate cut tonight. Against the euro, one pound buys €1.1874.

Britain's biggest budget airline is launching a new link to the former capital of the Soviet Republic - the first low-cost carrier to do so.

EasyJet will fly from Luton airport to Tbilisi in Georgia from next April,   travel expert Simon Calder   has revealed.

The flight is timed at six hours outbound and six hours 40 minutes return. It is estimated to take longer because it needs to take a route that avoids Russian and Ukrainian airspace.

According to airline analyst Sean Moulton, Luton-based easyJet will link its home airport with Tbilisi on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

"It's been a relatively difficult place to get to since it's been four years since the last scheduled flights from the UK to Georgia, this new twice-weekly connection will help to regrow tourism to the region and boost trade links between the UK and Caucasus," he told Mr Calder.

Wizz Air surprised the aviation industry last week by announcing the longest low-cost route from the UK.

From next year, it will connect Gatwick Airport with Jeddah on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea. The distance of almost 3,000 miles will take nearly seven hours.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free