Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, especially as the world integrates with artificial intelligence (AI).
Travel scams have been a thing for decades, but their frequency has reached new heights recently. In an interview with the BBC earlier this year, a safety Booking.com’s Chief Security Officer shared that travel scam occurrences had gone up by 900% in a year and a half, and scammers often used AI.
The Better Business Bureau Institute for Marketplace Trust published a report in 2022 stating that travel scams have a 49.3% susceptibility rate. The median loss per travel scam was US$602 (C$844 at the time of this article’s publication). Two years later, that number may have gone up.
AIPRM, a US-based firm that deals with AI and provides resources and engineered prompts to businesses, shared some tips with Daily Hive so our readers can better protect themselves from being deceived by AI-wielding scammers as they look for sweet travel and hotel deals.
Beware of the following:
1. Fake airline and hotel booking websites
AI makes it easier for scammers to create legitimate-looking travel booking platforms without much effort.
“Often advertising irresistible prices for flights and accommodations, these sites lure travellers with offers that seem too good to miss. Fraudsters also often play on urgency, using phrases like ‘limited-time sale’ or ‘only one left’ to push consumers into making quick decisions Once you input your details, scammers can steal your personal and financial information, leaving you with a ticket to nowhere and out of pocket,” warns AIPRM.
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The company’s experts recommend watching out for suspicious URLs, small spelling errors or “anything that feels off about the website’s design or offers.”
“Double-check through official channels and read verified reviews before submitting your personal information. As a rule of thumb, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is,” they shared.
2. Chatbots offering fake travel deals
AI-powered chatbots can mimic customer service representatives. You might have spotted them in help threads on websites like X, pretending to be reps from airlines and banks.
They can offer scammy travel deals, big discounts on holiday packages, car rentals, flights, and activities in tourist spots.
“These bots may ask for sensitive personal information or prompt users to pay upfront for non-existent trips,” stated AIPRM.
“To avoid falling victim, verify any deals or offers you find online through official travel websites and avoid providing payment information through unfamiliar channels. If something feels too rushed, it’s a red flag. Double-check all details and confirm through official customer service numbers or emails before finalizing any travel booking.”
3. Phishing emails, text message scams
If you’ve ever had an email address, chances are you’ve seen a phishing email or two. In fact, if you’re in Canada, you’ve probably even received phish-y text messages from random numbers.
AI has made generating phishing emails easier, fooling even those who pride themselves on being eagle-eyed about scams.
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“One in five people click on AI-generated phishing emails, with a shocking 65% tricked into revealing personal information through input fields on websites linked in those emails. Scammers are using AI to craft highly convincing phishing content disguised as legitimate companies,” shared AIPRM.
“Imagine receiving a text or email claiming your flight is cancelled, and to avoid losing your reservation, you must click a link and enter your payment details immediately. The pressure to act quickly could lead you to inadvertently put your financial information into the hands of fraudsters.”
Avoid clicking on suspicious links, and never provide sensitive information via unsolicited emails or texts. Check the sender’s email. Requests for personal details over email are a red flag.
“If in doubt, contact the airline, hotel, or travel agency directly,” experts advised.
Too-good-to-be-true offers that lure you into giving your personal/payment details too soon make for the most common types of AI travel scams.
AIPRM warns that such impulse actions are used to harvest the data as quickly as possible, with little to do once the data is revealed.
“I know of cases where the legal and police systems were busy for months due to an identity theft incident that the victim barely remembers engaging with,” shared the firm’s founder, Christoph C. Cemper.
4. AI-written holiday reviews
This is a big one. People often use online reviews to determine whether a business is legitimate or worthwhile, but these reviews can also be fake.
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“Fake AI-generated airline reviews have skyrocketed by an eye-popping 189%, while Tripadvisor alone flagged a record two million reviews as fake on its platform last year. With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, scammers can now generate hundreds of seemingly genuine, glowing reviews in minutes, making it harder for travellers to distinguish between real and fraudulent content,” AIPRM said in its email.
Try looking at multiple review sources and social media platforms. Too many great reviews in a short period of time could indicate they might be AI-planted.
5. Fake itineraries, AI images
Using AI to plan travel itineraries is becoming more common. AIPRM shared that scammers are also taking advantage of this technology to create professional-looking itineraries designed to deceive.
“These fake itineraries often feature attractive holiday packages that promise an unforgettable vacation at an unbeatable price, with AI-generated images used to promote false activities, making everything seem enticing. Once you send a deposit or full payment, you might find that your dream holiday doesn’t exist at all!” it shared.
Look at images closely. If they have subtle inconsistencies, mismatched details, weird blurry areas, or unnatural lighting, you should be alert.
Offers that look too good to be true should also ring alarm bells.
“I believe that a (false sense) of urgency, no matter how well explained (using Generative AI) is the top red flag for any kind of scams, including those for booking trips and holidays,” Cemper told us. “Nowadays, nearly anything can be faked with AI, so if it is ‘too’ well written, ‘too’ good to be true in the offer, or ‘too nice’ in pictures, then I would be especially careful.”
What to do if you fall victim
“If you think you have fallen victim to a scam, as painful as it is, any kind of revealed information needs to be rendered useless. You can hardly move to another place, so fake e-commerce orders can still happen. But locking down your credit card is the first and most simple thing to do. Contacting your bank as soon as possible is essential,” advised Cemper.
“While reporting the incident to the police or a cyber-crime unit is recommended, it’s worth noting that these reports often result in education for the victim rather than immediate resolution.”
Stay safe booking your holiday and post-holiday travel out there!