Dec 23 - Airline ticket fraud alert
The NFIB is warning the public about a scam which has left air travellers out-of-pocket and stranded at airports, when they discover their e-tickets have been cancelled.
The scam involves fraudulent websites which are falsely purporting to be authorised and accredited airline ticket agents promising cheap deals. The fraudsters buy the tickets on behalf of consumers before cancelling them at a later date, once the airline companies have issued the tickets.
All the cases so far have involved consumers being asked to pay for their tickets via bank transfer or money service bureaus, after the agent claims they cannot accept any other payment type for various reasons.
A spokesperson for the NFIB said: “The consumers who have been caught up in this scam have been told by the fraudulent agent that their normal payment systems are not working or are off line. This is a common theme across many cases of online fraud.
“At this time of year when many people are travelling home to be with family for Christmas and air fares are higher they actively search for cheaper fares, putting themselves at financial risk by doing business with fake sales agents who are taking advantage of the situation.”
Consumers should:
- Be aware of any ticket agent that claims not to accept bank payments or cites consistent problems with their card payment functions
- Exercise caution if using transfer as a payment method. Once the funds are gone it is very difficult to retrieve them.
- Using a credit card in most cases provides payment protection (consumer laws vary from country to country)
- Always check the ticket agent is accredited by regulatory bodies such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA). If in doubt, you should contact the airline that should be able to confirm the agent is legitimate.
Anyone who thinks they have fallen victim to fraud should report to Action Fraud on www.actionfraud.org.uk or call 0300 123 2040.
