SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
Scam Basics: Airline Ticket Fraud
While doing an online search to find the cheapest flight to your destination, you come across a website offering a great deal. You haven’t heard of the company before, but the website looks legitimate and everything seems to be in order. When you begin the payment process, red flags start to appear.
In the most common version of the scam, you pay with your credit card. But shortly after making the payment, you receive a call from the company asking you to verify your name, address, banking information, or other personal details – something a legitimate company would never do.
What makes this scam so believable is, once you pay, you receive a confirmation code that can be verified with the airline. However, after a day or two, your reservation is canceled and the company that charged you disappears. It appears the scammers booked the flight and charged your card – only to cancel it shortly after and make off with your money.
Air Travel Ticket Fraud
Be wary of deals on airline tickets offering prices that sound ‘too good to be true’
Think you’ve found the deal of a lifetime when you see last-minute airline tickets available for just a fraction of the usual price?
Be careful before you buy, or you could wind up with no ticket and losing your money to criminals – a victim of Airline Ticket Fraud.
How does airline ticket fraud work?
- Criminals use stolen, compromised, or hacked credit card details to buy airline tickets
- The criminals offer these tickets for sale at bargain prices via professional-looking websites or social networking accounts that appear to be for legitimate travel agencies or agents
- The criminal ‘travel agents’ ask for immediate payment, typically by cash, bank transfer or virtual currencies
- After receiving your payment, the criminal sends you the flight booking confirmation – with their original purchase details deleted
But What’s The Harm?
Not only can you lose your money, but there is more that can happen!
When you buy an airline ticket in this manner, you put your money directly into the hands of criminals – who use it to fund other serious crimes.
If the owner of the stolen credit card which was used by the criminal to make the initial purchase reports it before the scheduled flight, the ticket will be canceled by the airline and you will be unable to travel – you could even be arrested by the airport police under suspicion that you used the stolen credit card!
If the credit card owner reports the fraudulent purchase during your trip, you could be stranded with no way to return home or arrested on arrival.
Warning Signs A Ticket ‘Sale’ Could Be Fraud
There are some red flags to look out for when you see a flight to your dream destination advertised for an extremely low price:
Is the ticket price significantly cheaper than anywhere else? – Since they make 100% percent profit, criminals will offer bargain prices to entice you to take their “deal.’
Is the departure date in the next few days? – Criminals will offer fraudulently purchased tickets only one or two days before the flight (or even the same day) before the real credit card owner notices the fraud and cancels the ticket.
Are you asked to pay in cash or via bank transfer? – With these methods, your money is gone instantly and you have little recourse to get it back in case of fraud (in the case of a bank wire transfer, you might be able to get it back – it depends – read this.)
Does the travel agency’s website/social media account provide a full range of contact details, including a physical address and landline telephone number? – If not, do some research to confirm it is a legitimate, certified travel agency before purchase.
Tips For Making Safe Purchases
- Book airline tickets directly from the airline, or a reputable travel agency that is licensed/certified by your country’s relevant authorities.
- Only buy tickets online from websites with secure payment systems (e.g. “https” at the beginning of the web address) that are known internationally with zillions of reviews.
- Research the travel agency you intend to buy from. Do they have a legitimate website? Do they have positive or negative online reviews? Is there a way to contact them in case of issues?
- Check the Terms and Conditions before making a purchase, in particular, the refund policy and processes.
- Look for the logo of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on the company’s website – you can ask for their IATA ID.
TAGS: SCARS, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Scam Victims, Online Fraud, Online Crime Is Real Crime, Scam Avoidance, Airline Ticket Fraud, Airline Ticket Scam
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By the SCARS™ Editorial Team
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
A Worldwide Crime Victims Assistance & Crime Prevention Nonprofit Organization Headquartered In Miami Florida USA & Monterrey NL Mexico, with Partners In More Than 60 Countries
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- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
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A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
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