Cybersecurity

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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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. 

  3. 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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The information is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended, nor should it be relied upon, to address every aspect of the subject discussed herein. The information provided is intended to help you protect yourself from cyber fraud. It does not provide a comprehensive list of all types of cyber fraud activities and it does not identify all types of cybersecurity best practices. You, your company or organization are responsible for determining how to best protect against cyber fraud activities and for selecting the cybersecurity best practices that are most appropriate to your needs.

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Vacations don’t just bring fun and relaxation, they can also bring scammers. When planning your vacation, be sure to leave SPFs—scams, phonies and frauds—behind.

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