Flights too cheap to be true? Then they are probably fake. Aussies have been warned to be cautious of online bookings over the Christmas period as scammers set up fake websites offering cheap flight deals.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s SCAMwatch website has issued a statement advising that online scammers have the potential to not only distribute invalid travel documents but are also capable of stealing a travellers well-earned cash as well as their identity.
Utilizing the look and ABN of a legitimate travel website, travellers have lost in excess of up to $1,000 on fake international flights.
"It's all bad for these poor scam victims,” MyCRA national credit repairer Graham Doessel said.
“At best they can be left with no holiday - but at worst fraudsters can take their personal details and use them to construct a fake identity which would allow them to borrow in their name - the ramifications of that can last for years.”
With the Attorney General’s office revealing that one in six Aussies having their identity stolen or misused in some way, MyCRA recommends travellers looking for a cheap vacations do research on the company and confirm the URL is correct for the company before sending any credit card details through.
Online bookers have also been advised to avoid any unsolicited emails, take an extra five minutes to research the company and always go with your instinct if a flight seems to cheap then it probably is fake.
"If someone suspects fraud, their credit file could show changes, which if detected early, would prevent their good name from being ruined,” Mr Doessel added.
“If there are any unusual credit enquiries, or some attempt to alter personal contact details this should be a red flag.
“People should alert creditors to prevent their credit rating from being ruined and protect their ability to obtain credit in the future.”
Aussies Warned to be Wary of Xmas Scammers
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