CHARGIN FALLS, Ohio — Labor Day weekend is almost here; many are hitting the roads or taking to the sky to get their last fix of summer relaxation for the year. Cyber security experts are warning consumers of dozens of possible scams for travelers this weekend. In 2023, 25% of scams were travel-related; this year, the FTC believes that percentage has jumped to 69%.
When getting gas at a gas station, security experts recommend either going inside to pay directly or using Apple Pay. Also, always use a credit card, whether that’s when getting gas or booking hotels and flights. Alex Hammerstone, Advisory Solutions Director at TrustedTech, a cyber security company in Northeast Ohio, said this advice may sound repetitive, but people still use debit cards.
The FTC found that consumers lost $50 million to scams in 2023. Hammerstone said credit card companies are so advanced in their fraud detection and response that now using a credit card is often the only way a victim can get their money back if scammed.
“The best piece of advice I can give anyone is never use their debit card, only use a credit card,” said Hammerstone. “The reason is a credit card if someone steals your credit card number. It’s a pain, right, but you’re not liable for that money, and you don’t have to pay it; they investigate it and reverse the charges. With a debit card, even if you are ultimately not responsible for what was stolen from you, you are still out that money until they pay you back.”
Hammerstone also recommends that when booking a hotel, rental property, or flight, you make sure to book those reservations on a direct website, not through a third-party source. There’s a newer scam called search engine fraud where the top choices that come up after a search are not the direct company and are not safe to enter bank information.
Hammerstone said that people who book flights, hotels, or rental properties through third-party sites often do not get their reservations and end up losing hundreds or thousands of dollars. AI is helping play a big part in making scammers better and faster at their crimes.
“AI has allowed the scammers and the criminals to create much better fishing emails and much better scammers,” Hammerstone said. “AI also allows the scammers to do a lot more research and really kind of automate their research, so they can use it to go out and search social media posts and what have you to find people that are traveling. Then find their email addresses and help in those ways.”
Holiday online shopping sales are other places scammers await to take advantage of consumers.
Cyber security experts advise that apart from always using a credit card when shopping online, do not use public Wi-Fi, and ensure the website is secure with a lock displayed in the search bar. Also, do not pay if the website asks for unusual payment methods, such as gift cards.
“A lot of times it’s heartbreaking because there’s not much you can do in a lot of these cases,” Hammerstone said. “The fact of the matter is law enforcement doesn't really have the resources to go after somebody that steals a few thousand dollars. A few thousand dollars is devastating to any of us, but it doesn't necessarily meet the criteria to have a full investigation so far and so forth. The best piece of advice I can give anyone is never use their debit card. Only use a credit card. If someone steals your credit card number. It’s a pain right, but you’re not liable for that money. And you don’t have to pay it, they investigate it and reverse the charges.”
Hammerstone also advises that fraud or scams should always be reported to local law enforcement and an area Better Business Bureau. Trust your gut; if something seems too good to be true or a little off, odds are it is, and it’s a scam.
