“Holiday Hackers” – what those who buy tickets on the Internet should know

The e-fraud phenomenon is not limited to specific sectors. Unfortunately, it is of a general nature and can destroy the tourist plans of the traveler, who, instead of having a good time, will only “wave his hand” to his own money that has flown away in an unknown direction.

It is not uncommon for users to enter an unsafe digital environment, thinking that they make payments on the official pages of sites, and as a result become victims of scammers. However In the era of the digital revolution, the consumer must learn to use all the innovative tools that make it easier and help him organize his life in a safe way. But, experts say, it’s good to be vigilant when you see suspicious stocks or “unique offerings” that could, in fact, be “bait”.

Online platforms and hackers
As Konstantinos Mandes, a computer engineer and cybercrime expert, explains, “as it happens in all business sectors, this phenomenon intensively manifested on electronic platforms, especially during the tourist season. Often, including on accommodation booking platforms, scammers hang around.

But what should consumers pay attention to? “When you enter your card details for booking, be sure to look at the certificate that is posted on the website. Genuine certification is distinguished by some seals (accreditation from European organizations for security and data protection), which also ensure the security of transactions. You have to be careful when entering your credit and debit card details, says Mr. Mandes. – There are scammers who created clones of the first page of some major travel platforms with the goal of then redirecting the baited victim to their billing site (a scam they are planning to pull off). In order for someone to understand that this is the official page of the platform, he must conduct a test by entering inaccurate information (which is not the real information of your bank card).

“You can just change 1 digit and see if there are any links to a particular secure environment, i.e. where the next step leads (to which website). In case of fraud, a message will appear stating that the transaction is not approved and that the information is invalid.

Another simple procedure (for safety) is to use a prepaid card that does not have a large amount and has a limited limit. Also, to be on the safe side, ask your bank for a feature (if you don’t already have one) when making a payment will be approved using a code sent to your mobile phone. What you need to pay special attention to is to make sure that payment confirmation request comes from that particular platformand if not, then do not continue the payment process.

However, if someone does become a victim of fraud, then, according to Mr. Mande, the procedure is to send an email to the official platform with information about the incident, contact the Cybercrime Authority, and then the bank, in where their bank account is located in order to demand their money back.

Fraud Complaints
According to the Cybercrime Prosecutor’s Office, fraud complaints in cases related to online booking platforms usually involve scammers impersonating a “travel page” but the money goes into the scammers’ accounts. “We don’t have many complaints about tourist sites, but we do have them. We do not distinguish between fraud. We usually classify them, like fake website scams, and there are quite a few of themVassilis Papakostas, director of the prosecutor’s office for electronic crimes, tells the Athens and Macedonian News Agency.

“We advise people to choose the official pages of travel agencies and, where possible, confirm “from reality” with a phone call, that is, conduct market research and check in another way the presence of a tourist office selling tours. Direct communication with the service provider is a good way to protect yourself from Internet scammers,” notes Mr. Papakostas. As he emphasizes, there are cases when “all this is so well done that even a connoisseur can” step on a rake “.

It’s also important to “see where the account we’re depositing is located, who owns it, and double-check by calling the hotel if the account is correct before proceeding with the payment.”

For his part, Lysandros Tsilidis, President of the Federation of Greek Tourist Associations and Travel Agencies (FedHATTA), states: “It is a fact that we see a lot of ‘ghosts’ through the Internet, but this does not mean that we will live in fear. Every traveler should take care to find the best way to avoid being scammed. We know that there are scams and website hacks, and we deal with them every day. If the traveler has a desire to have a good rest, you need to apply to organized licensed companies that are certified by European law and our agencies, which, among other things, provide insurance coverage for their solvency and solvency“.

Malefactors cause damage not only to individuals, but also to professionals of the sphere of tourism. “The consumer,” Mr. Tsilidis explains, “should beware of ads with suspicious offers that urge a person to “buy a ticket right now.” Do not fall for such promotions. Take your time, check if everything is safe and only then proceed with payment.

As Mr. Tsilidis points out, the consumer should be careful not to fall for the “magnificent opportunities” when very expensive goods and services are sold at paradoxically low prices.

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