Don’t add scams to your travel plans
Whether it’s spring break, summer or a long weekend, you may be anticipating an upcoming vacation. While you have no doubt taken the time to plan and prepare for the trip, be on guard for scammers who are looking to upend your plans. McAfee’s Safer Summer Holidays travel report in 2023 highlighted 35% of adults have fallen victim to a scam while booking travel in an attempt to save money.
Fortunately, you can take several steps to reduce the likelihood of being targeted by scammers on your vacation. As you plan your next adventure, be sure to think about the following three tips to protect your vacation from fraud:
- Too good to be true deals. Everyone appreciates a good deal, and especially when planning a vacation, you want to be on the lookout for a great price on lodging or activities. All of a sudden you might start seeing offers pop up in your internet search or on social media for discounted rates on an excursion or hotel. Fraudsters will create cloned websites of legitimate booking sites or social posts offering too good to be true deals.
Action: Do your research. Investigate the listing or organization; look for online reviews, complaints or spoofed (look-alike) websites.
- Suspicious payment methods. Scammers will lure you into a stellar deal to help you “save” money on your vacation, only to request it in the form of payment atypical with bookings. Immediate payment is requested to secure the deal through a form of peer-to-peer payment such as Zelle®, gift cards, wire or even crypto. Never use payment methods that would be irreversible; credit cards are the most secure for booking travel.
Action: Leverage secure payment channels, and monitor your accounts. Review your transactions periodically, and enable online alerts to receive notifications of potential unauthorized activity. Remember to report fraud immediately.
- Digital security. As your vacation is underway and you’re at the airport, café or other public spaces, ensure you are using your computer or cell phone securely when connecting to public Wi-Fi. If using free public Wi-Fi, resist logging in to your banking or any other valuable accounts. Fraudsters will create fake hotspots to eavesdrop into your browsing history and steal passwords or other personal information.
Action: Use multi-factor authentication on your accounts, when available, and ensure your usernames and passwords are strong and complex. For increased security, consider using a VPN when traveling, as this can encrypt your connection and shield your data.
Remember: Limit the information shared on social media to reduce your risk of becoming a target.
We can help
If you believe you may have been a victim of fraud, contact your J.P. Morgan team immediately.
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