As summer winds down, many of us are planning last-minute getaways. However, Milwaukee business owners need to be aware of a new travel related scam circulating. With rising costs for everything from food to travel, it’s natural to hunt for the best online deals to enjoy a memorable trip without overspending. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are exploiting this trend. According to Booking.com, these scammers are using highly convincing, AI-generated phishing emails that can drain your funds far beyond your vacation budget. Marnie Wilking, Booking.com’s CISO, reports a staggering 500% to 900% increase in travel-related scams over the past 18 months due to this tactic.
So, how are these scammers pulling it off? Phishing emails have been around since the early days of the internet, but now, AI tools like ChatGPT are making it easier to craft realistic and professional-looking scam emails. In the past, phishing attempts were often easy to spot due to spelling and grammatical errors. Today, AI allows cybercriminals to produce dozens of seemingly legitimate emails that can slip past both software and human detection.
Here’s how they work:
Scammers will use sites like Booking.com or Airbnb.com that allow people to list their places as short-term rentals. The scammers send out emails offering incredible rates or time-sensitive deals on nonexistent properties. After someone pays, the cybercriminals will either disappear with the money, leaving the renter without a place to stay, or use follow-up emails to collect additional “fees” or “charges” before vanishing.
To be clear, these vacation-focused phishing scams are NOT new. The problem now is that, with AI, more people are falling for them because these emails are becoming more convincing.
What can you do?
Vacationers can take several key steps to ensure they’re not being duped:
- Use two-factor or multifactor authentication where applicable. Having a confirmation code sent to your phone every time you log in will help prevent phishing attacks and credential theft.
- Avoid clicking on email links. If you receive an email promoting a too-good-to-be-true deal, remember, it is likely too good to be true! Go to the website and search for the special. If you can’t find it, there is a chance you will avoid a scam.
- Before booking ANY property online, make sure contact information and reviews are readily available. Have other verified users stayed at the property? If so, it’s less likely to be a scam.
- Use credit cards for online purchases. Using debit cards that are linked directly to your bank account is dangerous. When theft occurs from your debit card, it is difficult to get your money back – if you get it back at all. Using a credit card provides an additional layer of protection.
- Avoid using Work Accounts or Devices for Personal Use. Using work accounts or devices for personal use increases the risk of exposing sensitive business data to cyber threats and accidental breaches. Keeping work and personal activities separate helps maintain the integrity of the company’s cybersecurity protocols, ensuring business information remains protected and secure.
The most important thing is to stay vigilant. Analyze every email offer you receive and follow cybersecurity best practices. Standard security software can help detect some of these scam emails, but often not all of them, so it’s important to be cautious and look for red flags.
Personal scams may ruin a vacation, but business breaches can cost you and your family their livelihood. To keep your network secure, call us at 414-455-6400 or click here to book a FREE 15-minute discovery call with our cybersecurity experts, who can help you create a plan that protects you. We are here to help! Enjoy a well-deserved break before summer is over and remember to be cybersmart.
For comprehensive Milwaukee IT support, trust PC LAN Services to safeguard your Milwaukee business.
