Summer travel is heating up — and so are cyber scams.
Posted May 7, 2025 by John Neibel
Cybercriminals are preying on eager travelers by sending fake booking confirmations that look incredibly real. These phishing emails impersonate airlines, hotels, or travel agencies and are designed to do one thing: steal your money, your data — or both.
Even smart, security-conscious users are getting fooled.
🎣 How the Scam Works
Step 1: The Fake Email Lands in Your Inbox
It might look like it’s from Delta, Marriott, Expedia, or Hertz. It may include:
- Legit-looking logos and branding
- A fake but familiar “customer service” number
- A subject line meant to trigger urgency, like:
- “Flight Itinerary Updated – Action Required”
- “Your Hotel Booking Needs Confirmation”
- “Your Trip to Miami Is Confirmed – View Itinerary”
Step 2: You Click the Link
The email asks you to log in, confirm details, or update payment info. The link sends you to a fake website that mimics the real thing — and captures whatever info you enter.
Step 3: Your Info (or Device) Gets Compromised
From there, hackers can:
- Steal your travel account credentials
- Process unauthorized credit card charges
- Infect your device with malware
- Gain access to sensitive files or accounts
🧠 Why This Scam Works So Well
- It looks authentic. The logos, formatting, and sender info are often spot-on.
- It creates urgency. People panic over flight changes and booking errors.
- It catches people off guard. Travelers are often busy, distracted, or excited — perfect conditions for careless clicks.
🏢 A Personal Threat — And A Business Risk
If your team books travel for conferences, sales meetings, or client visits, this scam isn’t just a personal threat — it’s a company-wide vulnerability.
A single click from your office manager, travel coordinator, or executive could:
- Compromise corporate travel accounts
- Expose your business credit cards to fraud
- Introduce malware into your company network
✅ How to Protect Yourself and Your Company
- Go direct. Don’t click links — log in directly at the airline, hotel, or travel site.
- Check the sender’s address. Look out for subtle fakes (like @deltacom.com instead of @delta.com).
- Train your team. Educate anyone who books or manages travel on how to spot these scams.
- Use MFA. Multifactor authentication adds a layer of protection even if credentials are compromised.
- Lock down email security. Deploy tools that filter phishing emails and block malicious links.
🚨 Don’t Let a Fake Email Become a Real Crisis
Cybercriminals are counting on you to be too busy — or too trusting — to spot their trap. Don’t give them that chance.
If your business handles team travel, expense management, or uses shared email accounts, you’re a prime target.
Let’s make sure you’re covered.
📅 Schedule your FREE Cybersecurity Assessment today.
We’ll scan for vulnerabilities, check your defenses, and help protect your team from costly scams like this one.