Scam Alert: Fake Airline Flight Itinerary Confirmation Emails

April 6th, 2017
Scam Alert: Fake Airline Flight Itinerary Confirmation Emails

Cyber hackers are getting sneakier by the moment, creating phishing attacks that trap you into opening an email that you think is harmless. A common scam that is constantly resurfacing is a fake email from an airline thanking you for your recent ticket purchase. The subject headline of the email usually says “Confirmation of ticket purchase” with the name of the airline, coming from an airline email address.

The body of the email contains a fake booking number with other information about your flight and ticket information. The email format can resemble the example provided below.

The cyber hackers goal is not only to get you to open the email, but click the attachment they have attached. That attachment, which could be in the form of a PDF or Word Document, DOCX, contains a malware that enables the hackers access to your network. Once they have gained access to your network, they can then steal your usernames, passwords and any other confidential information that you have stored on your device.

To help decrease the likelihood of falling victim to this scam, look up information for planned trips through the airlines official website or mobile application. If you have not scheduled a vacation and receive an email with flight confirmation information, delete it. Some email scams go as far as sending you an email from the airline thanking you for filling out a survey. In return, they send you a fake ticket attachment containing a virus. To avoid compromising your network, be conscious before you click or open an email.

Source: https://blog.knowbe4.com/scam-of-the-week-the-evil-airline-phishing-attack


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