{"id":229310,"date":"2026-05-19T05:00:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T12:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=229310"},"modified":"2026-05-18T21:07:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T04:07:09","slug":"travel-booking-vacation-scams-how-to-spot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/travel-booking-vacation-scams-how-to-spot\/","title":{"rendered":"1 in 3 Targeted by Travel Scams and Rising Costs are Making it Worse"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re<\/span>\u00a0comparing airfare on your phone, watching prices climb by the hour, when a deal pops up that feels\u00a0<\/span>just good<\/span>\u00a0enough to grab. The timer\u2019s ticking. The price looks right. You\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0want to miss it.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re\u00a0comparing airfare on your phone, watching prices climb by the hour, when a deal pops up that feels\u00a0just good\u00a0enough to grab. The timer\u2019s ticking. The price looks right. You\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want to miss it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That moment, when\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0rushing to lock something in, is exactly where\u00a0scams\u00a0thrive.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New McAfee research shows that\u00a0<\/span>more than 1 in 3 Americans have\u00a0encountered\u00a0a travel-related cyberthreat<\/span><\/b>, and\u00a0<\/span>41% of those\u00a0impacted\u00a0lost money<\/span><\/b>, often exceeding $500.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"This
This shows a screenshot of a fake Booking.com website detected by McAfee that was attempting to trick users into running malicious script\/code<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the same time,\u00a0<\/span>rising travel costs and time pressure are pushing people to make faster, riskier decisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Those are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>the exact conditions scammers rely on.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s\u00a0where protection\u00a0<\/span>has\u00a0<\/span><\/i>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>show up earlier.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

McAfee’s Scam Detector <\/span><\/b>lets\u00a0you check suspicious links, messages, and booking sites\u00a0<\/span>before<\/span><\/i>\u00a0you click,\u00a0so you can pause and verify instead\u00a0of\u00a0giving scammers the edge.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Travel Scams, Red Flags, and How McAfee Protects You<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Travel Scam Type<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nKey Red Flags<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nHow McAfee Helps<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fake travel deals<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nPrices far below market, pressure to \u201cbook now,\u201d sites\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0never heard of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScam Detector<\/span><\/a>\u00a0flags suspicious links and explains why\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0risky, so you can avoid fake deals before you book<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fake booking confirmations<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nUnexpected messages about bookings you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0make, mismatched sender details<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScam Detector\u00a0analyzes\u00a0messages before you engage, helping you avoid fake confirmations<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fake airline\/hotel websites<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nSlight URL changes, poor design, being pushed to pay\u00a0immediately\u00a0or\u00a0off-platform<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nSafe Browsing<\/span><\/a>\u00a0helps block risky sites before you enter payment details, reducing the chance of fraud<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Payment requests outside platforms<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nAsked to pay via wire transfer, crypto, or direct payment instead of official platforms<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScam Detector flags suspicious payment requests, helping you avoid sending money to scammers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
QR code\u00a0scams<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nQR codes posted in public with no clear source or context<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScam Detector checks QR links before they open, so you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0land on malicious sites<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Customer service impersonation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nCalls or messages asking for login credentials or payment info<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScam Detector detects\u00a0deepfake AI audio\u00a0impersonation attempts, helping you avoid sharing sensitive information<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
AI-generated listings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nPhotos that look overly polished, details that\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0quite match up<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScam Detector\u00a0identifies\u00a0suspicious content patterns, helping you spot listings that\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0real<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Public Wi-Fi attacks<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nOpen networks with no password or security prompts<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nVPN<\/span><\/a>\u00a0helps protect your data on public networks, keeping your personal information private<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The Findings From Our 2026 Travel Research<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

McAfee Labs found that many travel\u00a0scams\u00a0work because they look familiar and spread fast.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

TripAdvisor was the\u00a0most commonly impersonated\u00a0travel app,<\/strong> cloned at\u00a0roughly three\u00a0times the rate of other major platforms like Kayak, Expedia, and Booking.com.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In some cases, thousands of\u00a0scam\u00a0detections traced back to just a handful of fake apps, showing how quickly a convincing\u00a0scam\u00a0can take off when\u00a0travelers\u00a0are racing to book.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Top 5 Ways Rising Travel Costs Are Driving Risky Decisions<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Our 2026 travel survey shows how rising prices and last<\/span>\u2011minute pressure are changing traveler behavior, often in ways scammers exploit.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Booking faster than usual<\/span><\/b>
\n90% feel pressure to act quickly\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Choosing cheaper deals without verifying<\/span><\/b>
\n32% would book before confirming legitimacy\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Ignoring red flags<\/span><\/b>
\n33% admit\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0done it\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Trusting messages that look legitimate<\/span><\/b>
\n41% trust airline\/hotel messages without verifying\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Clicking links without checking the source<\/span><\/b>
\n20% click first, verify later (or not at all)\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Top<\/p>\n

\n

The Travel Scams People Are Most Likely to Fall For<\/h3>\n

According to our consumer survey findings, those who reported falling for a travel scam said these were the methods scammers used to trick them:<\/p>\n

1. Fake travel deals or promotions <\/strong>(15%)<\/p>\n

2. Scam booking confirmations or updates <\/strong>(15%)<\/p>\n

3. Manipulated accommodation listings or photos<\/strong> (15%)<\/p>\n

4. Payment requests outside official platforms<\/strong> (11%)<\/p>\n

5. Fake vacation rental listings <\/strong>(10%)<\/p>\n

6. Fake airline or hotel websites <\/strong>(9%)<\/p>\n

7. Customer service impersonation <\/strong>(9%)<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

8 Ways Travelers Put Themselves at Risk Without Realizing It<\/h3>\n

These common traveler behaviors are popular avenues for criminals to steal your information, data, and money.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

1. Connecting to public Wi-Fi<\/strong> (63%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Scanning QR codes without verifying<\/strong> (62%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Using airport Wi-Fi<\/strong> (49%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Trusting travel-related messages<\/strong> (41%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Logging into financial apps on public Wi-Fi<\/strong> (22%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Sharing travel plans in real time<\/strong> (22%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Clicking travel links without verifying<\/strong> (20%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Using shared\/public computers<\/strong> (15%) <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"8<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

How McAfee Protects You Before, During, and After Your Trip<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

As prices rise and decisions happen in real time,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0easy to prioritize convenience over caution. But\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0exactly the moment when small checks matter most.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Stage of Travel<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nWhat\u2019s Happening<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nHow McAfee Helps<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Before You Book<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nComparing deals, clicking promotions, booking flights and hotels under time pressure<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nScam Detector<\/span><\/a>\u00a0checks links, messages, and booking sites before you click, helping you avoid fake deals and\u00a0scam\u00a0listings<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
During Your Trip<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nConnecting to public Wi-Fi, scanning QR codes, receiving travel updates and alerts<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nVPN<\/span><\/a>\u00a0helps secure your connection on public Wi-Fi, while Scam Detector flags suspicious messages and unsafe links in real time<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
After Your Trip<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nAccounts\u00a0remain\u00a0active, travel data stored across platforms, potential exposure from breaches<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nIdentity Monitoring<\/span><\/a>\u00a0alerts you if your personal information appears online, helping you act quickly before damage spreads<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

With\u00a0<\/span>McAfee+ Advanced<\/span><\/b><\/a>, multiple layers work together so\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0not left figuring it out after the damage is done.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spend more time on your vacation, and less time\u00a0worrying about\u00a0scammers\u00a0who want your vacation fund.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re\u00a0comparing airfare on your phone, watching prices climb by the hour, when a deal pops up that feels\u00a0just good\u00a0enough to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1440,"featured_media":229462,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670,10667,10661,13,1838,8050,12],"tags":[],"coauthors":[16632],"class_list":["post-229310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-security-news","category-internet-security","category-privacy-identity-protection","category-mobile-security","category-mcafee-news","category-family-safety"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n1 in 3 Targeted by Travel Scams and Rising Costs are Making it Worse | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"New McAfee research finds 1 in 3 travelers encounter scams as rising costs drive riskier decisions. 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