Summer is a popular time for vacation travel. If you're looking to squeeze in any last-minute travel, there is a scam circulating that you need to be aware of. As costs for everything from food to travel continue to increase, the logical step is to search for the best deals online to book a memorable trip without breaking your budget. According to Booking.com, cybercriminals have decided to capitalize on this need and are now using one scarily convincing, AI-generated phishing e-mail that can cost victims way more than their vacation fund. Booking.com's CISO, Marnie Wilking, shared that the organization has seen a 500% to 900% increase in travel-related scams in the past 18 months using this malicious tactic.
How are these scammers doing it? Phishing e-mails have existed since the dawn of the Internet, but AI tools like ChatGPT are making it increasingly easy to create realistic and professional scam e-mails that are more likely to trick readers. In the past, phishing e-mails were riddled with red flags such as spelling and grammatical errors. With the rise of AI, it's easier for cybercriminals to pump out dozens of seemingly legitimate e-mails that often go undetected by software and readers.
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. The scammers send out e-mails offering incredible rates or
time-sensitive deals on nonexistent properties. After someone pays, the cybercriminals
will either disappear with the money, leaving the renter without a place to
stay, or use follow-up e-mails to collect additional "fees" or "charges" before
vanishing.
To be clear, these
vacation-focused phishing scams are NOT new. The problem now is that, with AI,
more people are falling for them because these e-mails are becoming more
convincing.
What can you do?
Vacationers can take
several key steps to ensure they're not being duped.
- Use
two-factor or multifactor authentication, 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 e-mail links. If you receive an e-mail promoting
a too-good-to-be-true deal, remember, it is likely too good to be true! Go
to the website and search for the special. If you can't find it, there is
a chance you will avoid a scam.
- Before booking ANY property online, make sure 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. When theft occurs from
your debit card, it is difficult to get your money back - if you get it
back at all. Using a credit card provides an additional layer of
protection.
The most important
thing is to stay vigilant. Analyze every e-mail offer you receive and follow
cyber security best practices. Standard security software can help detect some
of these scam e-mails, 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 network secure, contact us today to speak with our cybersecurity experts, who can help you create a plan
that protects you. We are here to help!
