Watch out for travel scams

A cheap flight can turn fake at the airport counter. The Better Business Bureau says some third-party ticket sites send a confirmation email, then call later demanding extra money for a “confirmed seat” or baggage, and travelers sometimes learn the airline never had a valid booking in the first place. (bbb.org) Hotel scams work the same way with a different ending: you arrive at midnight and the front desk has no reservation under your name. The Federal Trade Commission says scammers build travel websites advertising free or unusually cheap trips to collect money and personal information before the traveler ever leaves home. (consumer.ftc.gov) The first red flag is often the payment method, not the price. The Federal Trade Commission says any travel site that pushes wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency instead of standard card checkout is signaling that getting your money back will be much harder. (consumer.ftc.gov) The second red flag is urgency after you already “booked.” Atlanta television station WSB reported on April 9, 2024 that sham travel sites were calling customers after purchase to say the fare had suddenly increased, and one traveler was told at the airport that her supposed ticket was really standby. (wsbtv.com) Airline scams now spill onto social media when plans go wrong. The Federal Trade Commission warned in July 2024 that scammers watch for posts from stranded passengers, then impersonate airline customer service accounts and ask for confirmation numbers, phone numbers, or bank details. (consumer.ftc.gov) Mileage scams hit a different part of the trip: the points balance you were saving for later. AARP reported on March 31, 2026 that criminals are stealing airline, hotel, and credit card rewards points that can be worth thousands of dollars, sometimes draining dormant accounts before the owner notices. (aarp.org) That is why “cheap” and “complicated” is a bad combination. If someone offers to book your trip with their miles, move points through several accounts, or sell a premium cabin ticket at a huge discount through an unfamiliar channel, you may be stepping into fraud that leaves you without a seat when the airline audits the booking. (aarp.org) The safest boring move is still the best one: check the booking directly with the airline or hotel using the company’s own website or phone number, not the link or number that came in a message. The Better Business Bureau says travelers should verify they are on the right website before paying, especially for hotel reservations on lookalike pages. (bbb.org) Paying by credit card adds one more layer between you and a scammer. The Federal Trade Commission advises travelers to avoid irreversible payment methods, and card networks generally give consumers dispute rights that cash transfers and gift cards do not. (consumer.ftc.gov) If the worst happens on a flight purchase, the complaint does not go to the airline alone. The United States Department of Transportation says its Office of Aviation Consumer Protection takes complaints about airlines and ticket agents, and it uses those complaints to spot patterns and investigate problem sellers. (transportation.gov) The scam test is simple enough to use in 10 seconds. If the fare is far below the airline’s own price, the website is unfamiliar, the seller wants unusual payment, or the “agent” appears only in direct messages, stop there and start over on the airline or hotel’s own page. (consumer.ftc.gov)