Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Thrifty Thinking: Airbnb Scam

A new scam is targeting Airbnb accounts by charging people with non-refundable reservations at fake destination rentals and then canceling them.

After theses fake reservations are canceled, some people are having issues accessing their Airbnb accounts. Some users are also checking their bank statements and finding out they’ve been charged $1,500 - $2,000 for fake reservations they didn’t book.

Adam Levin, Founder of CyberScout and author of "Swiped" says "It's the beginning of summer travel season and scammers are already making it no day at the beach for Airbnb users.  Users are being charged for non refundable fake reservations at bogus resorts and in some cases their bank and/or paypal accounts have been drained.  Users' accounts and login credentials have been compromised through breaches or they fell victim to a phishing attack where hackers were able to infect their email with malware and gain unauthorized access to their accounts.  Consumers need to beware of fake booking sites.  Look for slight changes in the URL address. Go to the official site to book travel.  Use long and strong passwords that don't repeat across accounts and enable two factor authentication.  When booking hotels and conducting financial transactions, don't use public WiFi.  Use a VPN or a personal hotspot."

Adam K. Levin is a consumer advocate with more than 30 years of experience and is a nationally recognized expert on cybersecurity, privacy, identity theft, fraud, and personal finance. A former Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Mr. Levin is Chairman and founder of CyberScout and co-founder of Credit.com.  Adam Levin is the author of Amazon Best Selling Book  Swiped:  How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers and Identity Thieves.

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