ORaim to avoid online scams. Travel and holidays, whether they are short weekends or weeks, are increasingly booked and purchased online. For convenience, because the prices can be more advantageous than those of the travel agency or simply because you receive an offer via email that seems particularly inviting to us.
But while we think about the holidays, there is someone who thinks about how to ruin them: we are talking about cybercriminals, always ready to take advantage of every opportunity to steal data, sneak into our devices to drain our current accounts or take possession of our files and then ask for money to return them to us.
The data of online scams
According to a survey conducted by Ermes – Intelligent Web Protection, between April and May of this year, the detection of phishing sites increased by more than 20% and that of the travel sector could reach the peak of 50% by the first half of July.
Coinciding with the start of the summer season, cybercriminals have mainly found online bookings of airline tickets, overnight stays, cruises and visa applications for abroad.
In this context, on the one hand, the emotions of consumers in search of the exclusive last-minute offeron the other hand, the potential damage to service and image for the sector at a time of the year that can represent a considerable portion of turnover, especially in this delicate historical moment of recovery.
The love of exclusive online offers: don’t bite …
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From all-inclusive packages to last-minute or super advantageous offers, it’s quick and emotional purchase decisions that drive the online booking frenzy.
According to ISTAT, 66.5% of compatriots book their holidays online and the latest International Confidence Index drafted OpinionWay for Allianz Partners notes that 85% of respondents feel very or quite safe to leave, while 92% of them are already planning a vacation.
From April to today, hackers have changed their target: in this period, in fact, cyber attacks move from e-commerce sites to travel sites. In this way, they exploit the trust in online booking, planning harmful campaigns which, close to the summer season, are dangerously increased by more than 20%.
The target of cybercriminals? Get hold of buyers’ credit card data, steal their digital identity and sensitive information.
And it’s not just individuals who are affected; even institutions of the caliber of Booking, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Marriott International, British Airways and LOT have already been targeted in the past. Not to mention companies, which are also being targeted as more and more people are making online bookings from corporate devices.
What to do if you get scammed online
“Of course, prevention is always better, but if you’ve been scammed while shopping online, there are a few things you can do depending on the type of scam. If you have paid by credit card or bank transfer, you should notify your financial institution, as there is a possibility of getting your money back. And you can report the scammer to your local consumer protection group and the police to help others avoid falling into the same trap, “he suggests. Candid Wuest, Vice President of Cyber Protection Research at Acronis, company that deals with cyber protection all over the world.
«Since scammers could misuse your personal data, it is also advisable keep an eye on credit card transactions and pay attention to phishing websites who could use the stolen information for fraudulent purposes. This type of scam often falls into the category of no-delivery scams and personal data breaches, which resulted in an overall loss of $ 850 million in 2021, according to the report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center “, concludes Wuest.
In the hope that this does not happen, in the gallery above 5 useful tips by Ermes – Intelligent Web Protection to minimize the possibility of suffering online scams and having your long-awaited holidays ruined.
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