May 12, 2025
Planning a vacation this year? Make sure your confirmation email is legitimate before you click anything!
Summer is just around the corner, and cybercriminals are taking advantage of travel season by sending fake booking confirmations that look almost identical to emails from airlines, hotels, and travel agencies. These scams aim to steal personal and financial information, hijack your online accounts, and even infect your device with malware.
Even tech-savvy travelers are falling victim.
Here's How The Scam Works
A Fake Booking Confirmation Arrives In Your Inbox
The email may appear to come from well-known travel companies like Expedia, Delta, or Marriott.
Hackers often use official logos, proper formatting, and even fake customer support numbers.
Subject lines create urgency, such as:
- "Your Trip To Miami Has Been Confirmed! Click Here For Details"
- "Your Flight Itinerary Has Changed - Click Here For Updates"
- "Action Required: Confirm Your Hotel Stay"
- "Final Step: Complete Your Rental Car Reservation"
You Click The Link And Are Redirected To A Fake Website
The email urges you to log in to confirm details, update payment info, or download your itinerary.
Clicking the link takes you to a convincing but fake website designed to capture your login credentials.
Hackers Steal Your Information And/Or Money
If you enter your login credentials on the fake site, hackers gain access to your airline, hotel, or financial accounts.
If you provide payment details, they steal your credit card information or make fraudulent charges.
If the link contains malware, your device and its data could be compromised.
Why This Scam Is So Effective
- It Looks Legitimate: These phishing emails closely mimic real confirmation emails, including logos, formatting, and familiar links.
- It Creates Urgency: Notifications about reservation issues or flight changes cause panic, prompting quick action without careful thought.
- People Are Distracted: Whether busy with work or excited about a trip, people are less likely to verify an email's authenticity.
It's Not Just Personal — It's A Business Risk Too
If you or your team travel for work, this scam is even more dangerous. Many businesses have a single person managing all reservations—flights, hotels, rental cars, conference bookings.
Because they receive so many confirmation emails, a fraudulent one can easily slip through. A single click from your office manager, travel coordinator, or executive assistant could:
- Expose your company credit card to fraud.
- Compromise login credentials for corporate travel accounts.
- Introduce malware into your company network if the scam includes malicious attachments.
How To Protect Yourself And Your Business
- Verify Before You Click — Always go directly to the airline, hotel, or booking website instead of clicking links in emails.
- Check The Sender's Email Address — Scammers use addresses that look similar but are not exact (for example, "@deltacom.com" instead of "@delta.com").
- Warn Your Team — Train employees to recognize phishing scams, especially those handling company travel bookings.
- Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA) — Even if credentials are stolen, MFA provides an extra layer of security.
- Lock Down Business Email Accounts — Implement email security measures to block malicious links and attachments.
Don't Let A Fake Travel Email Cost You Business
Cybercriminals know exactly when and how to strike, and travel season is prime time.
If you or anyone on your team books work-related travel, manages reservations, or handles expense reports, you are a target.
Make sure your business stays protected.
Start with a FREE 15-Minute Discovery Call. We'll check for vulnerabilities,
strengthen your defenses and help safeguard your team against phishing scams
like this.
Click here or give us a call at 404-719-5222 to schedule your FREE
15-Minute Discovery Call today!
