An Opportunity for Scammers
Millions of people travel year-round for leisure and business. Like many travelers, you likely bring your laptop and mobile device to stay connected in the air or on the road. You may use travel apps on your smartphone or post photos and videos of your travels to your social media accounts. However, cybercriminals often take advantage of this and try to steal your personal and financial information.
Beware of Travel Scams
Cybercriminals sometimes pretend to be travel agents and send you phishing emails with links to fake travel websites. If you enter personal information or make payments here, the cybercriminals will steal it immediately.
Another type of scam occurs at your travel destination. This scam involves a criminal pretending to be someone helpful to you, such as a tour guide or a friendly traveler. After gaining your trust, they ask for access to your mobile device to perform a task such as taking a photo of you in front of a local attraction. Once you give it to them, they can easily access your personal information!
Don’t Let Your Guard Down
- Not all scams involve clicking links or visiting fake websites.
- Connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi networks can allow cybercriminals to steal your data easily.
- Cybercriminals can access your travel photos and videos and gather information to steal your identity if your social media accounts aren’t private. Even while on vacation, it’s important to remain cautious. Awareness of cybercriminals’ tactics will keep you safe while traveling.
Remember these tips when traveling:
- Only visit official travel websites and never respond to unexpected emails, texts, or phone calls. While traveling, always verify the identity of people with whom you share your personal or financial information.
- Remember to lock your laptop or mobile device if you’re not using it.
- If you post photos of your travels to social media, always be careful with what you reveal online. You should never post photos of your plane tickets, ID cards, or passports.
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