A bipartisan group of lawmakers banded together ahead of this year’s holiday season to warn consumers about travel scams.
The United States Congress’ Joint Economic Committee (JEC) issued a warning earlier this month to holiday travelers. The cohort of Republican and Democratic lawmakers said that the public faces fraudulent travel sites seeking to obtain consumers’ personal and/or banking information, as well as hidden costs and bookings that don’t live up to what was promised.
There are holiday travel scams that involve a swindler reaching out under the guise of a travel company or an airline’s customer service. Travelers may also encounter ads and sponsored search results that lead to phony companies hoping to scam them. Moreover, fake flight notifications from scammers may “appear to come from major airlines.”
“These scams often involve scammers creating fake travel sites or impersonating airlines or hotels to elicit a fraudulent payment or steal someone’s identity,” detailed the alert. “Scammers are trying to trick people into paying for trips or lodging that are nonexistent, have exorbitant hidden fees, or are of a far lower quality than advertised.”
The lawmakers behind the warning are JEC Ranking Member Maggie Hassan (D-NH), JEC Chairman David Schweikert (R-AZ), JEC Vice Chairman Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Senior House Democrat Don Beyer (D-VA).
What Is There To Know About Staying Safe From Holiday Travel Scams?
The best way to stay safe from scammers is to keep your personal information as private as possible. Though it may be common sense to some, it’s worth noting that you should never share your personal or banking details with disreputable travel companies and agents. It’s critical to research a company, travel agent, and/or host before assigning them responsibility for your travel and accommodations. Always double-check that you’re entering your personal details on a reputable website, not a counterfeit one. Avoid booking through third-party sites. Also, travelers should practice cybersecurity in airports.
“Criminal enterprises across the world are using cyberspace to prey on American consumers, and unfortunately, they target the holidays as an opportune time to steal your hard-earned money,” said JEC Chairman Schweikert. “This holiday season, as millions of Americans, including seniors, take to the internet to purchase gifts, make travel plans, and send online payments, please be vigilant. Don’t click on links you don’t know or visit third-party sites that obscure who is handling your money. And ensure (that) when you are making purchases, you are using a reputable site preferably run by the airline, hotel, or other known companies.”
Those who feel they’ve been scammed are encouraged to notify their local law enforcement and/or report the incident at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
