Holiday travel scams are on the rise: How to avoid fake airline booking sites

A record 122 million Americans are forecast to travel over the holidays this year. As travelers rush to book flights and stays, the Better Business Bureau is warning people to watch for online travel scams designed to steal their money.

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One risky scheme involves fake third-party airline booking websites. Scammers promote realistic-looking sites through social media ads, texts or other messages offering tempting travel deals.

Leah Napoliello with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston says travelers may lose money in more than one way:

“You go to that site, you book your tickets there. And in some cases, it’s just a scam where they just are totally taking your money from you. You actually didn’t book any tickets whatsoever. Or in other cases, the tickets are actually booked, but there are a bunch of extra fees tacked on that wouldn’t be tacked if you just booked directly with the actual airline’s official website. So you have to be careful with these third-party sites.”

How to protect yourself

• Be wary of unusually cheap airfare, especially in ads or unsolicited messages.
• Don’t rush to click links sent by text, phone message or social media.
• Check unfamiliar booking sites before paying. Search the site’s name along with the word “scam” to see whether others have reported problems.
• Compare the offer with the airline’s official website and consider booking directly to avoid unexpected fees.

With holiday travel expected to hit record levels, taking a moment to verify a booking site could help protect your money — and your trip.