Greg's Corner

Ticket scam keeps widow from husband’s funeral

By Greg Collier

A 79-year-old widow from Central Florida missed her husband’s funeral due to a sophisticated scam. She had cherished 59 wonderful years with her late husband.

Her husband passed away in March, and the family had planned to lay him to rest in their family cemetery in Wisconsin. The widow, along with her son and grandson, was scheduled to fly from Orlando-Sanford International Airport to Appleton, Wisconsin, on June 1. However, a medical emergency forced her to miss the initial flight. Determined to attend her husband’s funeral, she had to book a last-minute ticket on her own.

Admittedly, not being tech-savvy, she dialed 411 to get the contact details for the airline. She was connected to a man who claimed to be from the airline, and explained her urgent need for a flight. The man quoted an exorbitant price of $988 for a roundtrip flight, citing the funeral as a reason for the inflated cost. He even provided what seemed to be a legitimate airline boarding pass with a confirmation code.

She arrived at the airport with her confirmation code. The ticket counter accepted the code, issued her a boarding pass, checked her luggage, and even provided wheelchair assistance through TSA. Yet, when it was time to board, she was left at the gate.

An airline supervisor broke the devastating news that her ticket was not valid. The supervisor claimed the widow was not the first of their customers to be scammed in this way. Additionally, the scammers had charged her card over a dozen times in small amounts, totaling roughly $2,000. Although her luggage made it to Appleton, Wisconsin, she missed her husband’s funeral.

Airline customers should book directly through the airline’s official website to avoid falling victim to such scams. To ensure you have the correct customer service number, visit the airline’s website and obtain the number directly from there.

If you rely solely on a web search for the airline’s phone number, there’s a high probability you could end up calling a scammer, as they often place ads on search engines to pose as airlines. Additionally, while calling 411 used to be a reliable way to get correct phone information, this service has largely been phased out by most phone providers.

To protect yourself from scams, always verify the identity of who you are calling before providing any personal or financial information. Double-check phone numbers directly on the airline’s official website, and be cautious of search engine ads and outdated services like 411. Taking these extra steps can help ensure your safety and peace of mind when making travel arrangements.