Travel scams are getting harder to spot — practical steps to avoid them

Scammers target businesses' systems or staff to get real reservation data, and they can use that data to build messages that match your booking or trip. The Federal Trade Commission reported that Americans lost $3.5 billion last year to scams that involved impostors contacting people through text, email, phone, social media and search engines. Nearly one in three fraud reports were impostor scams — the most common fraud category in the FTC data.

Because scammers can include accurate reservation dates, prices or passenger details, the message appears expected rather than out of place. That expectation creates urgency, which is the tactic scammers rely on.

• What it is: An imposter contacts you claiming there's a problem with your hotel reservation (failed payment, need to confirm details) and provides a link or phone number for "immediate action."

• What to do: Do not click links or call numbers in the message. Go to the hotel's official website and call the phone number listed there or use the booking system you used originally.

Flight cancellation and rebooking scams

• What it is: You receive an urgent message saying your flight was canceled or delayed and are pushed to pay to rebook through the sender.
• Why it's convincing: The timing — right before travel — creates immediate stress and a temptation to act quickly.
• What to do: Check your airline's official app or website immediately. If rebooking is needed, do it through the airline or the third-party booking service you used originally. Avoid links in texts or emails.

• What it is: Scammers place a fake QR code sticker on top of a restaurant's or cafe's real code. Scanning the fake code takes you to a fraudulent payment page.

• What to do: Inspect the physical code for signs of a sticker. If anything looks layered or suspicious, ask staff and choose another payment method. If the payment webpage looks off, stop and find a different way to pay.

• Treat unexpected travel messages as unverified claims: verify via the company's official app, website, or phone number found independently.
• Don't click links or call numbers included in unsolicited texts or emails about reservations or cancellations.
• Avoid posting travel documents or ticket images publicly. QR codes and barcodes on tickets can contain more information than you expect.

Scams are more believable because fraudsters can use real data and convincing digital interfaces. Slow down, verify through official channels, and choose alternative payment methods when anything about a message or QR code feels off. Those simple steps reduce the chance that a legitimate-looking message will become a costly mistake.