5 airport scams as experts are warning travellers

Around 22 million Brits (38%) have either fallen for a scam or know someone who has, while 13.4 million (20%) say they’d be more likely to click a suspicious link on holiday, and £2.7 billion was stolen through fraud and cybercrime in the past year.

The average loss per victim was £7,596.34, enough to cover your entire trip.

So, what should we be watching out for?

Fake Booking.com messages 

“Scammers are hijacking the names of trusted brands like Booking.com, sending fake emails or texts claiming there’s an urgent problem with your hotel booking,” says Siobhan Blagbrough, Financial Crime Manager at Ocean Finance.

“You’ll be asked to re-enter your card details on a fake website. Once you do, the scammers charge your card and vanish. Even clicking a button, like ‘accept cookies’, can download malware to your device.” 

Flight Change Texts

Posting a photo of your boarding pass on social media might seem harmless, but scammers can use those details to send fake flight updates just before check-in. You’re told your flight’s cancelled and sent a link to reconfirm. But it leads to a spoof site that drains your card.

‘Delayed Baggage’ Compensation

“You arrive at your destination, but your luggage hasn’t,” explains Siobhan. 

“Then comes a message from what looks like the airport or airline offering you instant compensation, just click the link. These scams target genuine airline mishaps to trick people into handing over banking details. No airline will text you compensation links without formal contact. Always go through an official website or app.” 

Free Wi-Fi trap in airports and hotels

This is a sneaky one, particularly as many people try to avoid costly data bills on holiday, so are more likely to use free wifi hotspots in airports and hotels.

“Join the wrong ‘free Wi-Fi’ at a café abroad and you could be connecting to a scammer’s hotspot,” says Siobhan.

“Every password you type, every site you visit, they can see it all. If you’re logging into banking apps, emails or payment sites, they’ve got everything they need to take over your accounts. Stick to mobile data or a trusted VPN.” 

Airport phone charging

This is another one that’s so tempting, particularly if your battery is running low, but beware free charging, as it can be a trap.

“Plugging your phone into a public USB port could unknowingly be allowing data to be hacked or malware to be installed,” says Siobhan.

“Bring your own plug and cable, and always use a standard wall socket, not a USB-only port.” 

She adds: “Fraud used to mean a stolen wallet or dodgy market stall. Now it’s emails, texts, calls, and even the plug socket at the airport. These scams are slick, fast and emotionally manipulative. They’ll catch you off guard while you’re in holiday mode, and before you know it, your money’s gone. 

“The most common trick is to pile on the pressure, scammers love using urgency to force quick decisions. If you notice something off, slow down, take a step back, and double check.” 

3 smart ways to protect your money on holiday 

1. Don’t click – go direct: Whether it’s a fake Booking.com message or dodgy baggage compensation, never click links in emails or texts. Go straight to the official app or website and log in there. If in doubt, assume it’s a scam until your proven otherwise.
2. Use credit cards for extra protection: Credit cards offer legal protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. That means if you pay for something between £100 and £30,000 and something goes wrong – the company goes bust or you don’t receive what you pay for – you could get your money back. Even if you only pay part of the cost by credit card, the whole transaction might still be covered.
3. Avoid public Wi-Fi and USB ports: Avoid using public Wi-Fi for anything sensitive like banking. And never charge your phone through random USB ports. Bring your own charger and plug it into a proper socket.
    

What to do if you think you’ve been scammed 

“If you think you’ve been scammed, act fast,” urges Siobhan. “Contact your bank straight away – if the payment hasn’t gone through yet, they might be able to stop it. If it has, they can talk you through what to do next. 

“Always report the scam to Action Fraud, and if it came via email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk so it can be shut down before someone else falls for it.”