AARP Virginia Fraud Alert: Airline Call Center Scams

With the holiday travel season fast approaching, scammers are ready to cash in on travelers eager for help with last-minute flight changes and cancellations. Don’t let a fake customer service agent derail your trip – or drain your wallet. Here’s what you need to know to stay ahead of airline call center scams.

Just because an airline customer service helpline number appears at the top of internet search results doesn’t mean it’s legitimate. Search results can be filled with fraudulent phone numbers, and scammers are constantly finding new ways to get their numbers to show up at the top of results.

Beware of any number tied to a result labeled as “Sponsored” or “Ad.” In addition, don’t call numbers that appear in wacky fonts or next to odd emojis; this is a common tactic scammers use to make their numbers both visually pop and appear towards the top. Lastly, remember to slow down. For instance, if your flight is canceled, you typically don’t need to pay to be rebooked. Any “agent” requesting a credit card to do so likely only has their own wallet at heart.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.