Everything is rising in price, so as smart buyers, we search for the best deals online to book a memorable trip without breaking our budget. Cybercriminals have decided to capitalize on this need and are now using one scarily convincing, AI-generated phishing email that can cost victims way more than their vacation fund. Booking.com’s CISO, Marnie Wilking, shared that the organization has seen an increase – up to 900% – in travel-related scams in the past 18 months using this malicious tactic – phishing emails. Phishing emails aren’t new to the Internet, but AI tools like ChatGPT are making it increasingly easy to create realistic, professional and hard to determine scam emails.
Here’s how they work:
Scammers will use sites like Booking.com or Airbnb.com that allow people to list their places as short-term rentals. Emails are then sent out by scammers offering crazy low rates or time-sensitive deals on nonexistent properties. After payment is made, cybercriminals will either disappear with the money, leaving the renter without a place to stay; or, use follow-up emails to collect additional “fees” or “charges” before vanishing.
What can you do?
Consumers can take several steps to ensure they don’t fall prey to these vacation travel scams:
- Use two-factor or multifactor authentication (MFA), where applicable. Having a confirmation code sent to your phone every time you log in will help prevent phishing attacks and credential theft.
- Avoid clicking on email links. If you receive an email promoting a “too good to be true” deal, remember, it likely is just that! Take the initiative and search the website for the special to see if it is legit.
- Before booking ANYTHING online, make sure to review contact information and reviews are readily available. Have other verified users stayed at the property? If so, it’s less likely to be a scam.
- Use credit cards for online purchases. Using debit cards that are linked directly to your bank account is dangerous. It’s difficult to retrieve funds from a debit card – if you can get it back at all. Using a credit card provides an additional layer of protection.
The most important thing is to stay vigilant against cyber scams.
Analyze every email offer you receive and follow cyber security best practices. Standard security software can help detect some of these scam emails, but often not all of them, so it’s important to be cautious and look for red flags.
Personal scams may ruin a vacation, but business breaches can cost you and your family their livelihood. To keep your business network secure, call us 888-500-9111 or click here for a free vulnerability scan. You can also schedule a consultation with our sibling company, Atlantic Technology Services, who can help you create a managed services IT plan that protects you.
