Travel Scams? Check.
A concerning new addition to the growing list of travel scams involves major U.S. airlines being targeted on Google in a clever and deceptive manner. Scammers are capitalizing on the frustration caused by flight delays and cancellations, knowing that travelers often seek help online. They are purchasing ads on Google that pose as the airlines' official help desks, but in reality, the phone numbers listed in these ads lead unsuspecting callers to scammers located in obscure locations, such as India.
The tactics used by these scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. One traveler shared their harrowing experience after attempting to call Delta Airlines using a phone number found on Google. The call led to a person with a strong Indian accent who claimed to be from Delta customer service. The situation escalated into a cat-and-mouse chase, with the scammer requesting a credit card payment five times the original ticket price. Other major airlines like American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Air France, Qantas, ITA Airways, and Turkish Airlines have also fallen victim to this impersonation scam.
Google is aware of the problem and claims not to tolerate such misleading activity. However, the extent of their effectiveness in combating these scams remains uncertain. Phishing tactics, typosquatting, and other deceptive techniques have taken over several top Google ad positions, with only some being flagged by antivirus software.
Until Google manages to eradicate this issue entirely, consumers are advised to take precautions on their own. One option suggested by the FBI is to use an adblocker to prevent rogue ads from showing up in Google searches. Additionally, security analysts recommend verifying website URLs, using bookmarks for frequently visited sites, avoiding clicking on "Ad"/"Sponsored" results in search, employing antivirus software alongside adblockers, and being cautious of suspicious prompts claiming virus detection on browsers. Google also provides a video guide on how to spot, verify, and report fake ads. Staying vigilant and implementing these measures can help safeguard against falling victim to search scams.
