Artificial intelligence (AI) is considered one of the most significant inventions of our lifetime. While AI will bring about many positive changes and innovations, malicious individuals can misuse it to scam unsuspecting internet users.
According to AIPRM, a company specialising in community-driven prompt management, searches for ‘last-minute holiday deals’ have surged by 250 percent as the holiday season approaches. This increase has created opportunities for travel scams, which have become more sophisticated with the advent of AI.
AI replicates human intelligence in machines programmed to think and act like humans. This makes it difficult to distinguish between scams and legitimate offers. Traditionally, scams were easily recognisable, but AI’s language and software development capabilities make this more challenging.
Booking.com, an online travel platform, has noted a 900 percent increase in travel scams over the last 18 months, making it essential to protect yourself.
Below, we share some of the most common AI-powered travel threats facing holidaymakers this season.
1. Fake booking websites
AI has made it much easier for scammers to develop compelling fake hotel and airline booking websites. One of the most distinguishing factors of these counterfeit websites is the offers that are often too good to be true, the sense of urgency, and the manufactured lack of supply. You’ll frequently encounter phrases like ‘only one left’ that urge you to make a quick decision.
While scammers regularly go to great lengths to ensure their website looks as legitimate as possible, they frequently make small layout or spelling errors. Watch out for suspicious URLs and double-check any offer that seems too good to be true. Although reviews are only partially foolproof, they can also help identify potential scams.
2. AI chatbots requesting personal information
Although AI chatbots can be helpful and safe, they have also become an insidious tool used by scammers. Most malevolent chatbots come from pop-ups and links from websites, text messages, or emails. We recommend avoiding clicking on unsolicited links, especially from a redirected website.
These AI chatbots often impersonate customer service agents, offer irresistible hotel, flight, and trip deals that may not exist, and ask for personal details like credit card information. The deal will typically feel rushed, so this is something else to watch out for. It’s best to avoid providing personal information to AI chatbots and reach out to the company in question telephonically or via email to verify the deal’s legitimacy.
3. Phishing communications
Phishing is a fraudulent practice in which communications appearing to be from reputable companies are sent to deceive individuals into revealing personal information. It has become the most prevalent form of cybercrime. At least one in five people have reported clicking on links in phishing emails and text messages, with more getting tricked into revealing sensitive information. Older people who may not be able to recognise these scams are especially prone to this type of cybercrime.
The key issue with phishing emails is that they often involve a real-world situation that might disarm you and make you more likely to provide the information the scammers want. One of the most common phishing emails may claim an issue with your account or payment information, requiring you to act quickly to secure your booking. Thoroughly check the sender’s email address and be wary of any information that requests personal information.
4. AI-generated accommodation reviews
Although you may not necessarily lose money through fake reviews, they can have you paying large sums of money for accommodation that purports to be more luxurious than it is. Tripadvisor found and removed over 2 million fake reviews on its platform in the last year, indicating the prevalence of online AI-generated content.
We recommend checking reviews from multiple sources to ensure a balanced view. Overly positive reviews that have only been uploaded over the last few months are a telltale sign of fake AI-generated reviews.
5. Fake holiday packages and AI-generated images
It’s become common to use AI tools like ChatGPT to plan your holiday to minimise the work you must do, but scammers are also hard at work using the same tool.
Some scammers have started assembling amazing holiday packages using AI-generated images at enticing prices. After you pay your deposit, you might find that the holiday does not exist or the itinerary is less exciting than initially stated.
You can steer clear of scammers by verifying the source of the holiday packages, thoroughly reviewing itineraries, and checking for subtle inconsistencies. Although AI-generated images are continuously improving, they often have blurry areas and use unnatural lighting, so you can look out for these things when navigating the online space.
If all this fails and you fall victim to a scam, it’s essential to stop all communication with the scammer and contact your bank to secure your credit cards and bank accounts. Change the passwords for all the accounts you suspect may have been compromised, and always enable two-factor authentication where it’s available.
Keep meticulous records of all communications and transactions to ensure you have supporting documentation if you need to report the matter to the local authorities and your bank.
While cybercrime is increasing, it’s possible to avoid falling victim by educating yourself and remaining cautious online.
For more on this topic and AI-related content, visit the AIPRM’s website.
