PHOENIX — Experts have a warning about sophisticated travel scams as many people plan to hit the road this Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day is just around the corner and TSA is expecting this year’s holiday to be the busiest on record, but keep in mind- it's prime season for scammers.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Los estafadores buscan aprovecharse de los viajeros durante el Día del Trabajo y le mostramos lo que necesita saber para protegerse
There have already been far more travel scams this year compared to last year.
In 2023, about 25% of all scams were travel-related. This year, that number is 69%, with artificial intelligence being one of the biggest factors in the increase.
The FTC says people have already lost about $50 million dollars.
“Oh there are so many,” said Paul Keener, a cybersecurity strategist with Guidepoint Security.
“A lot of people are driving, and probably the biggest scam is when you’re getting to a gas station and getting your credit card skimmed,” said Keener.
Keener knows firsthand.
“They tried to steal like $1,200,” he said.
Thankfully, his bank took action.
“They put a fraud alert on the card and they immediately stopped the payments and recovered the funds,” he said.
Keener, who has more than 30 years of experience in cybersecurity, says everyone is at risk of getting taken advantage of.
“You’re not immune to this,” he said.
If you’re filling up at the pump or ringing up at a retailer, Keener says you should use caution.
“Use Apple pay or some sort of RFID, something that doesn’t allow your card to go into the device,” said Keener.
Booking a last-minute deal could put you at risk of being scammed too. In fact, AI scams are becoming more sophisticated, with attackers using AI to create fake booking sites for short-term vacation stays.
“They give fake reviews, they tell you things that are going to be there and a lot of people buy that,” he said.
In some cases, Keener says scammers advertise cheap stays and ask for a deposit when you go to book your trip, but when you make the deposit, the scammers disappear.
“Making sure that you’re booking through a reputable agency is super, super important,” he said.
When you book a reservation, he recommends using your credit card. That way, if you do get scammed, an attacker won’t have access to your bank accounts.
“Protect yourself,” Keener said.
If you end up getting scammed, Keener says it’s important to report it to your bank immediately and then to law enforcement.
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