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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 8, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: airport, Scams ( 1,386 ), travel, traveling ( 15 ), TSA, TSA PreCheck ( 2 )   

  Stay Safe from TSA PreCheck Scams 

  

  By Greg Collier

  As the holiday travel season approaches, millions of people are preparing for flights to visit loved ones or enjoy a vacation. Unfortunately, scammers are also gearing up to take advantage of the increased demand for TSA PreCheck enrollments and renewals. These fraudulent schemes are designed to steal your money and personal information by mimicking official government websites. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself during this busy time.

  TSA PreCheck is a trusted traveler program designed to streamline security screening for low-risk passengers at U.S. airports. Enrolling in the program allows you to enjoy a faster, more convenient airport experience. With TSA PreCheck, you can pass through security without removing your shoes, belts, or light jackets, and your electronics and liquids can stay in your carry-on bag.

  The program is available at more than 200 airports and works with over 85 participating airlines. Enrollment involves a straightforward application process, including an online form, an in-person appointment for fingerprinting and identity verification, and a fee. Once approved, your PreCheck status is valid for five years.

  Scammers create fake TSA PreCheck sites that look alarmingly similar to the real thing. These fraudulent pages often appear in emails or online ads, urging users to enroll or renew their TSA PreCheck membership. They may even claim to simplify the process for a fee. However, these sites are nothing more than elaborate traps to steal your money and sensitive information.

  The scam often starts with an email or ad directing you to a website that looks like the official TSA PreCheck site. The key difference is that the URL is slightly off, often a cleverly disguised misspelling or a domain ending that isn’t ‘.gov’. Once on the site, users are prompted to pay for enrollment or renewal. But instead of providing a legitimate service, the scammers pocket your payment and potentially misuse your personal data.

  Even experienced individuals have nearly fallen victim to these schemes. The sophisticated design and persuasive language of these fake sites can easily trick someone who isn’t paying close attention.

  The TSA emphasizes that the only official place to begin your PreCheck enrollment is on their website, which ends in ‘.gov’. Any other domain, no matter how convincing it appears, is not legitimate. Additionally, the initial payment for TSA PreCheck is made in person, not online, during your in-person appointment at an enrollment center.

  Be wary of third-party ‘facilitators’ offering to handle the enrollment process for you. Not only do they charge exorbitant fees, but they also compromise your personal data, leaving it vulnerable to misuse.

  Before entering any personal or payment information online, double-check the website’s URL. If you’re unsure, reach out directly to the TSA or consult trusted resources like the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker. By taking a moment to verify, you can avoid falling into the trap of these sophisticated scams.

  With holiday travel just around the corner, now is the time to ensure all your travel documents, including TSA PreCheck, are in order. Double-check every website, and only trust official government sources. A little caution now can save you from a major headache later, helping you focus on what really matters this season, enjoying time with family and friends.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on September 17, 2024 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: airport, cybersecurity ( 37 ), evil twin attack ( 2 ), identity theft ( 108 ), Scams ( 1,386 ), traveling ( 15 ), wifi ( 2 )   

  What Is the Evil Twin Attack Targeting Travelers? 

  

  By Greg Collier

  You might feel safe and relaxed while cruising at 35,000 feet, but there’s something you should be on the lookout for, even mid-flight. It’s a sneaky Wi-Fi scam known as the Evil Twin Attack. This old trick has resurfaced, now targeting airline passengers.

  Recently, news outlets in Australia reported an arrest involving this very scam. Authorities claim that a man stole passengers’ personal information using a fake Wi-Fi network while they were on a flight. How did this happen? Let’s break it down.

  Evil Twin Wi-Fi is a fake network that copies the name of a Wi-Fi you’ve used before and trust. Think of places like airports, hotels, or coffee shops where your phone or laptop automatically reconnects to the Wi-Fi without you even thinking about it. Scammers take advantage of this by creating a Wi-Fi network with the same name to trick your phone into connecting to their network instead.

  In the Australian case, the alleged scammer took it a step further. He boarded multiple flights with a portable Wi-Fi hotspot that mimicked the name of the airport’s Wi-Fi. When the plane took off and passengers switched to airplane mode, their phones unknowingly connected to the imposter Wi-Fi, thinking they were back on the airport’s trusted network.

  Once passengers connected, they were asked to log in using their social media or email passwords. If they did, they handed over sensitive information like usernames and passwords, which could easily be used for identity theft. Essentially, the scammer could pretend to be them online and access their accounts.

  This may sound alarming, but there are simple ways to avoid falling victim to an Evil Twin Wi-Fi attack. One effective method is to delete any public networks your phone automatically reconnects to, such as those from airports, cafes, or libraries. By going into your Wi-Fi settings and removing these unnecessary networks, you can prevent your phone from connecting to potentially fake ones in the future.

  Another smart precaution is to keep your Wi-Fi turned off when you’re not using it. Rather than leaving it on by default, only activate it when you are certain you’re connecting to a trusted network. This small habit can greatly reduce your risk.

  Adding security software, like a virtual private network (VPN), is another protective measure. A VPN will encrypt your data, helping to ensure that even if you accidentally connect to a rogue network, your personal information most likely remains secure.

  These adjustments are simple but can go a long way in keeping your data safe. As scams like this one become more common, especially in places like airports, staying alert and taking these precautions will help protect you, even at 35,000 feet!

   
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  Geebo 9:00 am on November 20, 2020 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: airport, airport jail scam, family impersonation scam ( 2 ), impersonation scam ( 148 ), Scams ( 1,386 )   

  A new airport scam just in time for the holidays 

  

  With many people getting ready to travel for the holidays, even though they should stay home, a new scam has popped up. It’s a type of impersonation scam that takes many of its cues from the grandparent scam. Let’s call it the airport jail scam.

  In this scam, the scammer calls the victim pretending to be a friend or relative. They’ll claim that they’re being detained at the airport for whatever reason and need you to wire them money so they can be released. Sometimes the scammers will have a second person pose as someone in authority like a lawyer or police officer to make the scam sound more convincing and to place extra pressure on the victim. As with most scams, once you wire the money, the scammer disappears and you never see the money again.

  Now, most major airports do have a detention center where people who have been arrested are held. However, unless they’ve been arrested on a federal offense, an arrestee wouldn’t be able to make a phone call until they were transferred to the local police department for processing. We first heard of this scam using Fresno Yosemite International Airport in Fresno, California as the place where the alleged friend was being held in ‘airport jail. This airport is not a major airport like LAX or Newark International and does not have a detaining area.

  And just like in the grandparent scam, it is recommended that if you receive one of these phone calls that you don’t immediately make arrangements for payment. Instead, you should try to contact the person claiming to be in ‘airport jail’. You can also ask the person a question only they might know that couldn’t be gleaned from social media.

  While you think you may not fall for a scam like this, reports say that some people have already fallen for it. It’s easy to be led down that path when you think a loved one may be in danger. if your friend or relative is being detained, they will not get into any additional trouble if you verify their story.

   
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  Geebo 8:58 am on August 4, 2020 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: airport, Arkansas ( 3 ), Little Rock, Puppies ( 9 ), puppy scam ( 37 ), Scams ( 1,386 )   

  Airports do not have pet departments 

  

  The Better Business Bureau is saying that they’ve seen a dramatic increase in the amount of puppy scams that have been happening since the start of the global pandemic.

  If you’re unfamiliar with the puppy scam, it’s when scammers will advertise puppies for sale online but the puppies don’t exist. A good way to tell if an online ad for a puppy is a scam is if the supposed breeder is advertising the puppy for much less than what the breed normally costs.

  Once you’ve paid for the puppy, the scammers will start adding on extra charges. Often they’ll claim it will be for things like special shipping crates or customs fees.

  Recently, the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas has been reporting a number of people calling to speak to the airport’s pet department. Commercial airports like this don’t have pet departments. Often, the scammers will pose as an airport’s non-existent pet department to try to claim additional payment from the scam’s victims.

  This scam starts with the official-looking websites scammers have that make it look like they’re legitimate dog breeders. A great way to see if a breeder’s website is a fake is to do a reverse image search to see if the pictures of the puppies appear anywhere else on the internet. Scammers will take pictures from off of Google Image Search since they don’t have any actual puppies.

  As we always suggest when shopping for a new pet, the best way to protect yourself is to adopt from your local shelter. Many shelters have lists you can sign up for if you’re looking for a specific breed. Not only is this more cost-effective but you’re also helping the shelters continue to in assisting their efforts.

  But if you have your heart set on a certain breed, buy from local dog breeders. Even then, do your research on the breeder to make sure they’re raising their animals humanely. Unfortunately, there are too many ‘backyard breeders’ who are looking to make money quick by selling sick pets.

  Adding a pet to your life is a life-changing event and you should be properly prepared for such a momentous occasion.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on March 9, 2020 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: airport, Alabama ( 3 ), Human trafficking ( 98 ), huntsville, Huntsville International Airport, modeling ( 8 ), Scams ( 1,386 )   

  Modeling scam victim almost lured into trafficking 

  

  Whenever we discuss the modeling scam we usually talk about how it could lead the victim into spending a lot of money that they don’t need to. For example, a number of online and radio ads for modeling jobs are actually just sales pitches for overpriced classes or photo packages. However, there is a much darker side to the modeling scam that can have grave consequences for the victims involved and that is human trafficking. Traffickers often pose as modeling or talent agents in order to find victims and a recent story shows what lengths they will go to find their victims.

  In Huntsville, Alabama it’s believed a 21-year-old woman almost fell victim to human traffickers posing as a modeling agency. If it wasn’t for her mother losing her car in the airport parking lot the woman might have never been seen again. When an airport employee saw the woman frantically looking for her car the employee stopped to help the woman. As they got to talking the woman said she had just dropped off her daughter at the terminal and that her daughter was leaving for a modeling offer in Phoenix. The mother told the employee that the agency even bought her daughter the ticket to fly to Phoenix. Thankfully, the airport employee had been trained on how to recognize human trafficking.

  Thankfully, they were able to find the woman before she boarded the plane. The employee was able to convince the woman that the modeling offer may not be on the up and up and arranged to have a police officer escort her at her destination. The employee then called the ‘agency’ to tell them that the woman would be escorted by police. It was shortly thereafter when the woman received texts from the fake modeling agency saying her flight had been canceled. Both Homeland Security and the TSA have said that the phony agency has been linked to other instances of human trafficking.

  [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8TNT4fHJ3g%5D

  If you or a family member has ambitions of getting into modeling, have realistic expectations of what can be achieved in such a field crowded with treachery at every turn. Always do as much research as you can into any offer or opportunity you might find. Not everyone can be a model but these scammers, predators, and traffickers target victims who believe they have a shot in the modeling or entertainment industry and take advantage of their dreams. The Federal Trade Commission website has some tips on how not to get scammed by modeling ads.