Agencies booked flights and accommodations, yet individuals remained earthbound: Overheard response, "Your name was not found on the passenger manifest".
Frequent travel scams crop up across Portugal, leaving passengers with unbooked flights and swindled payments. This troublesome trend has surfaced in numerous areas, according to an investigation by SIC.
Agencies collapsing or simply pocketing client money are common occurrences in these instances. This year, the Travel and Tourism Guarantee Fund has refunded 122 swindled customers, with many filing their claims last year and 23 doing so this year. A hefty sum of almost 120,000 euros has been returned to the unsuspecting victims.
Behind the Scenes
Beyond flights and payments, airport taxi scams and other tricks pose a threat to tourists traveling in Portugal. In fact, tricks like overcharging unsuspecting passengers at Lisbon's airport represent part of a broader effort to take advantage of tourists, as unveiled in the investigation.
The scams have grown increasingly advanced, using tactics such as AI-powered phishing and caller ID spoofing. Scammers impersonate phone numbers from local Portuguese sources or reliable organizations like banks and PayPal, adding an air of authenticity to their schemes. To add further confusion, they acquire phone lists through data leaks and sell them on the dark web, enhancing the effectiveness of targeted scams.
Stepping Up the Fight
A variety of steps are being taken to combat these recurring scams, both by industry players and government authorities:
- Security Measures Recommendation: Travel platforms and cybersecurity experts suggest adopting two-factor authentication (2FA), keeping software updated, and being cautious when sharing sensitive information to protect accounts and booking data from unauthorized access.
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Media outlets and influencers are highlighting specific local scams, empowering tourists to identify and report fraudulent activities.
- Industry Vigilance: Major travel platforms like Booking.com issue alerts about rising AI-powered scams and urge both travelers and businesses to stay vigilant and scrutinize doubtful deals.
- Monitoring and Investigative Efforts: Banks and security agencies are constantly on the lookout for new fraud methods and actively investigate cases linked to travel payments, aiming to dismantle criminal networks capitalizing on the confusion of tourists in Portugal.
- The advanced scams in Portugal's travel industry extend beyond flights and payments, reaching as far as airport taxi services, aiming to exploit tourists by employing tactics such as AI-powered phishing and caller ID spoofing.
- In an effort to combat these sophisticated scams, travel platforms and cybersecurity experts advocate adopting security measures like two-factor authentication, keeping software updated, and exercising caution when disclosing sensitive information to protect accounts and booking data from unauthorized access.
- To raise public awareness, media outlets and influencers are highlighting specific local travel scams, equipping tourists with the knowledge to identify and report fraudulent activities, ultimately aiming to create a safer and more trustworthy business environment.
