Scams and Fraudulent Activity

Email phishing, fake ads, fake social media accounts, and telephone scams often lure people into giving out personal information such as credit card numbers and account login credentials. These scams impersonate trusted brands to appear authentic. 

In this article:

• Airline Ticket Fraud
• Airline Ticket Fraud - Warning Signs
• The Harm Caused by Airline Ticket Fraud
• Tips for Making Safe Ticket Purchases
• Social Media Scams
• Reporting Suspected Scams and Fraudulent Activity

Airline Ticket Fraud

Criminals use stolen, compromised or hacked credit card details to buy airline tickets. They then offer these tickets for sale at "bargain prices" via professional-looking websites or social networking accounts that appear to be for legitimate travel agencies or agents.

Airline Ticket Fraud - Warning Signs

There are some warning signs that customers can look out for when looking for airline tickets:

1. Immediate Payment: The criminal' travel agents' ask for immediate payment, typically by cash, bank transfer or virtual currencies.
2. Missing Payment Information: After receiving a customer's payment, the criminal sends the customer a flight booking confirmation – but the customer's original purchase details will be missing.
3. Bargain Prices: Since scammers make 100% profit, they will offer significantly lower "bargain prices" to entice people to take their "deal."
4. Last Minute Tickets: Criminals will offer fraudulently purchased tickets only one or two days before the flight (or even the same day) before the legitimate credit card owner notices the fraud and cancels the ticket.
5. Limited Contact Information: Does the travel agency's website/social media account provide a full range of contact details, including a physical address and landline telephone number? – If not, customers should research to confirm it is a legitimate travel agency before purchasing.

The Harm Caused by Airline Ticket Fraud

• When customers buy an airline ticket in this manner, they put their money directly into the hands of criminals – who can use it to fund other serious crimes.
• If the owner of the stolen credit card used by the criminal to make the initial purchase reports it before the scheduled flight, the airline will cancel the ticket, and the passenger cannot travel.
• If the credit card owner reports the fraudulent purchase during their trip, they could be stranded with no way to return home without purchasing another ticket.

Tips for Making Safe Ticket Purchases

• Customers should book airline tickets directly from the airline or a reputable travel agency which is certified by their country's relevant authorities
• Customers should only buy tickets online from websites with secure payment systems (e.g. https at the beginning of the web address)
• Customers should research the travel agency they intend to buy from. Do they have a legitimate website? Do they have positive or negative online reviews? Is there a way to contact them in case of issues?
• Customers should check the Terms and Conditions before making a purchase, in particular, the refund policy and processes
• Customers should look for the logo of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on the company's website

Social Media Scams

Scammers will attempt to communicate with customers on social media and often direct them to communicate with airlines via alternate apps, such as WhatsApp.

Flair will never redirect customers to communicate with us on these apps.

If customers have concerns about being redirected to alternate apps, they should contact Flair directly at 1-833-711-2333 to confirm the validity of the request. 

Reporting Suspected Scams and Fraudulent Activity

If customers believe they have been the victim of fraud or attempted fraud, they can report this by contacting the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501. More information on reporting fraudulent activity can be found on the Government of Canada's website at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.