Tips For Outsmarting Scammers When Booking Travel  

The internet has brought travel to our fingertips but with instant access, that unfortunately also means everyone is more vulnerable to fraudsters looking to steal data. Scams such as fake customer support numbers on popular search engines can result in criminals stealing money or sensitive personal information such as credit card details.  

 At Expedia, our teams work to stay ahead of scammers and protect the travel experience. Here are some things Expedia’s customer service team will never do:  

• Request a gift card in exchange for services. 
• Call or send an email asking for account passwords. 
• Request other personal information unrelated to a previous service issue. 
• Request wire transfers or payment information through text message. 

If you do encounter any of the above when talking to an Expedia representative, please end the conversation and report to Expedia as soon as possible by contacting us here. 

To keep you safe and vigilant, here are tips to spotting, avoiding and reporting these scams as you plan and book your travel: 

Identifying top common scams: 

• Search Engine and Gift Card Scams: Fraudsters will buy fake ads with illegitimate contact information for well-known companies to pose as agents in an effort to ensnare people searching for online support numbers. These imposters will request gift cards in exchange for services such as a trip refund or flight change, wire transfers, or request sensitive personal information. They may even use an itinerary look-up tool using information gathered from unaware victims to view real trip details to gain trust. 
• Phone Call Scams: Scammers will use “spoofing” technology to make telephone numbers look legitimate and then claim a customer has won a prize from Expedia such as cash, trips or credits for future travel. In exchange, the very convincing scammers will ask for personal information including name, address, payment information, and social security.  
• Email Scams: Phishing is a scam where a criminal sends an email asking for personal information while tricking the recipient into clicking on a link, opening an attachment, or directly providing sensitive information. The emails can be quite convincing as they appear to come from established businesses or organizations, and sometimes even link to legitimate-looking websites. Always confirm the sender’s email address is legitimate.  

When in doubt, end the conversation and report the incident: 

• If you think you’ve received a fraudulent phone call or are in contact with an imposter, hang up or end the conversation immediately.  
• Do not click on any suspicious links, double check the sender and delete any suspicious emails.  
• Do not engage further and take note of how you came into contact, such as the phone number you dialed, the contact information displayed, and any other identifying information provided by the scammer.  
• Never post your email address or other reservation information publicly.  
• Contact Expedia to report the scam along with the Federal Trade Commission and state attorney general. 

How to reach Expedia: 

• If you need help with your trip, visit the official Expedia website or mobile app for any questions. Expedia has several self-service tools to help travelers easily change or cancel trips, redeem credits and check on the status of a refund, all without having to call in to speak with an agent.  
• Expedia’s virtual agent is available 24/7 which also lets you change or cancel trips, check trip status and more quickly without having to call in. 
• For more support, select “Chat now” and request to connect with one of Expedia’s experienced agents. 

For more information including Expedia’s Privacy & Security policy and help with your trip, head to Expedia’s customer support portal here.