Travel scams in WA. to watch out for in this new AI world

Travel scams have been around almost as long as we've known how to tell time. But time marches on and since the Internet, travel scams have gotten even more insidious. It's more than just bait and switch these days. 

Now let's add AI to the mix. 

The Federal Trade Commission received approximately 3,000 fewer complaints regarding cybercrime and fraud than last year. But the total loss from fraud actually went up to approximately $40 million. That's up about $5 million from 2024. 

According to seattletimes.com,
‘Cybercrime is a business, and just like legitimate businesses, cybercriminals are really focused on maximizing the returns,” said Steve Grobman, chief technology officer at McAfee, an online protection company. “They’re using technology to optimize their victim-conversion rates, things like AI to find victims who are more likely to fall for scams. And they are making the scams more relevant or scary to their victims.’ 

These cyber creeps are geared to go after anybody. Young, thrifty travelers looking for great deals on the Internet. Older, more wealthy travelers looking for luxury accommodations. They find many of their victims through social media, also using e-mail, texting, or phone. 

These scammers know a lot about who you are and what makes you tick and then they optimize the scams that they offer you with that information using AI. The FTC has a list of things to look for to uncover travel scams. 

The scammers will pretend to be associated with a larger established organization. (Like the FTC) 

They will present you with a great offer, something you really find difficult to refuse. 

Then they will pressure you to act immediately or “you'll miss out on this great deal”. 

Then when they ask for payment, it will require using methods with less protection like Venmo, a wire transfer, Zelle, or even cryptocurrency.  

Be wary of fake rental listings.

An enterprising scammer will take a legitimate listing, copy the details, make a few changes, and resubmit it as their own. They get you to put down a deposit, and then they disappear. 

Look out for fake travel websites. 

The bad guy will take an existing website and copy it with a slight change to the web address, and now you're communicating with them. They take your personal information and credit card data. Instead of renting a hotel room for your next vacation, you're sending money to these cybercriminals. 

Then there is the “urgent text scam.” 

A text appears on your phone warning you that you're going to lose. special perks and privileges if you don't respond immediately. You could wind up paying extra money, lose your frequent flyer miles or even face legal action. It's all about fear and manipulating you into doing something you know you shouldn't do. 

How about a personalized scam? 

When you're posting photos of yourself at a hotel, pool, or resort location. The scammer doesn't need to know the name of the hotel. They use artificial intelligence to figure out where you are, and then they use that information against you. Maybe you will get an urgent text or e-mail informing you that there are some charges left unpaid and you need to take care of it immediately or there will be problems. The link in the communication might be legitimate, but the phone number probably is not. The main thing to remember is, don't rely on the information in the communication you've received. Don't use the phone number. Contact the hotel directly to find out if there's an issue. 

As always, be skeptical. 

Protect yourself from scammers.
5 cyber travel scams and how to avoid them | The Seattle Times