May 12, 2025
Planning a vacation this year? Make sure your confirmation email is legitimate before clicking anything!
Summer is approaching, and cybercriminals are taking advantage of travel season by sending fake booking confirmations that closely resemble emails from airlines, hotels, and travel agencies. These scams aim to steal personal and financial information, hijack online accounts, and even infect devices with malware.
Even tech-savvy travelers are falling victim.
Here's How The Scam Works
A Fake Booking Confirmation Arrives In Your Inbox
- The email may appear to come from well-known travel companies such as Expedia, Delta, or Marriott.
- Hackers often use official logos, proper formatting, and even customer support phone numbers.
- Subject lines create urgency, for example:
- "Your Trip To Miami Has Been Confirmed! Click Here For Details"
- "Your Flight Itinerary Has Changed - Click Here For Updates"
- "Action Required: Confirm Your Hotel Stay"
- "Final Step: Complete Your Rental Car Reservation"
You Click The Link And Are Redirected To A Fake Website
- The email urges you to log in to confirm details, update payment information, or download your itinerary.
- Clicking the link takes you to a convincing but fraudulent website designed to capture your login credentials.
Hackers Steal Your Information And/Or Money
- If you enter your login details on the fake site, hackers gain access to your airline, hotel, or financial accounts.
- Providing payment information allows them to steal credit card data or carry out fraudulent transactions.
- If the link contains malware, your device and its data could be compromised.
Why This Scam Is So Effective
- It Looks Legitimate: These phishing emails closely mimic real confirmation messages, including logos, formatting, and familiar-looking links.
- It Creates Urgency: Messages about reservation issues or flight changes cause panic, prompting quick action without careful thought.
- People Are Distracted: Whether busy with work or excited about travel, recipients are less likely to verify the email's authenticity.
It's Not Just A Personal Threat - It Poses A Business Risk Too
For those who travel for work, this scam is even more dangerous. Many companies have one person managing all travel bookings—flights, hotels, rental cars, and conferences.
Because they receive numerous confirmation emails, a fraudulent one can easily slip through. A single click from an office manager, travel coordinator, or executive assistant could:
- Expose company credit cards to fraud.
- Compromise login credentials for corporate travel accounts.
- Introduce malware into the company network if the scam includes malicious attachments.
How To Protect Yourself And Your Business
- Verify Before Clicking - Always visit the airline, hotel, or booking website directly instead of clicking email links.
- Check The Sender's Email Address - Scammers use addresses similar but not identical to legitimate ones (for example, "@deltacom.com" instead of "@delta.com").
- Educate Your Team - Train employees to recognize phishing scams, especially those handling company travel bookings.
- Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) - MFA provides an extra security layer even if credentials are compromised.
- Secure Business Email Accounts - Implement email security measures to block malicious links and attachments.
Don't Let A Fake Travel Email Harm Your Business
Cybercriminals know when and how to strike, and travel season is prime time.
If you or your team books work travel, manages reservations, or handles expense reports, you are at risk.
Take steps now to protect your business.
Start with a FREE 15-Minute Discovery Call. We'll check for vulnerabilities, strengthen your defenses and help safeguard your team against phishing scams like this.
Click here or give us a call at 703-879-2070 to schedule your FREE
15-Minute Discovery Call today!
