Review the top five traveler bank account scams. Ensure that you don’t fall prey to them and maintain your credit/debit cards and bank accounts in good order.
When we travel, most of us use smartphones and many also use tablets, smart watches, etc. Unfortunately, we also have to deal with bank account scams.
While we’re away, we continue to communicate with family, friends and work. When we’re home, scammers try to steal our personal information, clean out our bank accounts and/or use our credit/debit cards for themselves, or sell our identity and financial information to others.
That doesn’t change when we travel, when we’re more vulnerable to scammers than at home. Moreover, the need for credit/debit cards is increased, as they’re typically our primary method of paying bills when we’re traveling. If our cards are compromised, our trip may be ruined. Therefore, it’s imperative for travelers to be alert to credit card and bank account schemes and scams and know what we can do to avoid them.
Email and Text Message Phishing Scams:
Phishing scams are one of the most common ways scammers steal credit/debit card information from travelers and everyone else. Everyone often receives legitimate looking emails and text messages that are fraudulent. They look like they’re really from our credit card companies, banks or vendors from whom we recently placed an order, claiming that there’s a problem that requires immediate attention.
The emails and messages invariably include a link(s) that doesn’t go where we expect. Instead, it goes to a lookalike website that for many is difficult to tell that it’s fake. If we use their links, the data that we enter, including personal and login information and account details, will be in the hands of scammers, data thieves and identification thieves looking for big paydays from our cash and other assets.
To protect ourselves, never click on email/message links unless you’re more than 110 percent sure of the sender. Start by checking the sender address or phone number, but remember that scammers can spoof both email addresses and phone numbers.
The better way to protect ourselves is to delete the email or text message immediately. Don’t use the links in them. Don’t call any phone numbers in them. They’re all likely going to a scammer.
To be sure it’s a scam and that nothing is wrong, contact the bank/company named in the email or message directly. Use the number you have for them. Go to the bank or company website directly by typing in their known address or if you want, find their phone number in your contact list or on the back of the credit/debit card and call them.
Major credit card/debit card tip:
For every financial account you have, including bank accounts, debit/credit card accounts and shopping accounts, etc., always use passkeys or if only passwords are available, use two factor authentication or a secondary step such as an authenticator app or security key. This will protect you when your primary account credentials are compromised. It’s worked for me.
The ATM Skimmer and Shimmer scam:
It’s been reported that some airport ATMs and independent ATMs across the globe have been compromised with skimmers and shimmers. These devices are attached to the exterior or installed in the interior of ATMs. Shimmers, in particular, are almost impossible to detect. If you use an ATM with one of these devices installed, your card number, expiration date, security code, and pin number can all be stolen. If the card slot is different than expected, don’t use the ATM. When using ATMs, cover your typing hand as you enter your pin number. I don’t ever use airport or hotel ATMs. I only use ATMs in banks.
Public WiFi Scams and Data Theft:
While traveling, there are often times when you want to use the Internet with your phone, tablet or laptop computer. Public WiFi networks are in airports, cafes, hotels, and many other locations. They aren’t particularly secure, even the ones that use a password, such as in airport lounges where everyone uses the same password. In hotels, if a scammer discovers your last name and room number, they can likely log in as you. Anything you type on these networks can be intercepted by scammers.
When connected to them, whenever possible, avoid connecting to financial accounts, including shopping and airline sites, because you might divulge critical information while online. If you have to connect, try switching to mobile data networks. Use your smartphone as a hotspot for your laptop computer. A reliable VPN (Virtual Private Networking) service encrypts your data. Use both anti-virus and anti-malware software. They block viruses and malware that could work as keystroke loggers and other serious compromises of your electronic devices.
The Evil Twin WiFi scam:
Fake WiFi networks are found in airports and hotels across the world. They use WiFi network names similar to the real ones. They may be just a letter or two different than the real network or reverse the wording. Scammers hope that you won’t notice the difference. The fake networks watch and record your keystrokes. They record the usernames and passwords you type, plus every piece of identity and financial information that you enter.
If you’re not sure of the WiFi network, don’t connect to it. Ask an airport or hotel official what the real network name is.
The Quishing scam:
I’m sure you’re aware of what QR codes are, those squares with the black-and-white patterns. They’re on posters, restaurant tables, advertisements, etc. Too often, scammers use fake QR codes for quishing, manipulating your smartphone or tablet via publicly displayed QR codes. Scammers often physically adhere QR overlays over legitimate publicly displayed QR code squares. I saw these in Sydney, Australia, in several locations. When I looked closely at the QR codes on posters, they were clearly new QR overlays fairly carefully glued over the real ones. The major tell-tale signs that the QR code is fake are the edges of the QR code are raised above the background, they’re peeling, misaligned or bright QR codes on a poster that is clearly weathered.
When you use your smartphone to read the QR codes, they take you to fake websites where they attempt to steal your personal and financial information. Don’t fall for the Quishing scam. If it appears to possibly be fake, type in the real website address directly.
The scammers may also put fake QR codes on fake websites as well as fake advertisements on legitimate websites. You really have to be careful to avoid scammer tricks.
I know travelers who have had their credit card information compromised and have seen fraudulent charges on them. Travelers have had their debit card compromised and their bank accounts at home emptied. Several people I know worked for years to restore their identity, which was compromised while traveling. Follow the above precautions to minimize the chance it will happen to you.
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After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
