Watch out for fake flight itineraries landing in your inbox
Added: December 2012
SCAMwatch is warning travellers to watch out for scam emails with fake flight itineraries attached – these attachments may harbour malicious software.
Scammers masquerading as legitimate airline companies are sending these emails in an attempt to steal your passwords and other sensitive information.
SCAMwatch urges jet-setters to think twice before opening any suspicious emails or attachments – if in doubt, contact the airline to verify or just press 'delete'.
How these scams work
- You receive an email that looks like it is from a reputable airline claiming that your itinerary is attached.
- The email and attachment may be dressed up to look like the real thing by using the actual airline's corporate colours, imagery and layout. However, on closer inspection the email address is not the same used by the airline and content may contain spelling errors.
- If you open the attachment, your computer may be infected by malware.
How to protect yourself
- If you get an email like this but haven't booked any travel, just press delete.
- Before opening any emails and attachments, think twice and look for any signs that they might be fake such as odd email addresses or spelling mistakes.
- If you're not sure whether an email is a scam, verify the sender by using their official contact details to contact them directly. Never use contact details provided by the caller – find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search.
- Always keep your computer security up-to-date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall – only buy software from a reputable source.
- If you have opened something that you think might be suspicious, consider getting your computer scanned and changing passwords.
Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
You can see a warning from Jetstar about scammers impersonating the airline.
See SCAMwatch's online scams section for more information on malware and other scams that target you on the internet.
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov
You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au.
If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.
