There’s a new scam to watch out for, and this one targets travelers specifically. Instagram user readyjetroam shared information on the scam and how to spot it.
It all starts with an urgent text that appears to be from your airline or hotel. The text message usually says something that would feel urgent to someone who’s about to travel, such as: “your flight is canceled” or “your reservation payment failed” or “your flight is delayed.” To make it look real, it often includes your name and reservation information. This is all followed by a link or phone number, with the goal being to get you to click the link or call the number to investigate.
When you click the link, it takes you to a real-looking airline or hotel page. You will be prompted to log in or verify payment, which is how they steal your information. Fox News shared in a November 2025 article that the text also might include a phone number that connects you to a scammer who is pretending to be an airline or hotel agent. They’ll offer to rebook you for a fee and might ask for payment details or personal information like your birth date or passport number.
The strength of this scam is in the amount of personal information they have about you, including your full name, travel dates, and flight details. Unlike past scams, the logos and branding often look authentic and the wording matches the airline’s usual communication style, according to readyjetroam. Even scam aware travelers are getting tricked.
The only tell, according to readyjetroam, is the link itself. It is usually slightly off or a shortened version of a real domain. That said, the best way to avoid getting tricked by this scam, is by resolving to only make changes to your travel reservations—flights, hotels, rental cars—by opening the airline, hotel, or rental car site’s app on your phone or by opening a webpage and going directly to the company’s website to check the status of your trip yourself.
“Real airlines and hotels handle real issues inside your account – not through a random link in a text,” shared readyjetroam in her post. “Bottom line: never let a random text be the place you ‘handle’ your flight or hotel.”
If you are a target of a scam like this, you can forward the texts to 7726 (SPAM) or report the messages to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Doing this will help shut down scams like this and protect other travelers.
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