Half of consumers have fraud and online cybersecurity concerns when they book online, but they will still use the Internet to book their vacations, according to a recent survey from Lavasoft. It would seem to make sense, as it’s incredibly convenient to find online and “Internet only” deals with airlines and hotels while booking online.
Not surprisingly, more than 60 percent of consumers have faced emails or phone calls that promise discounted or free vacations. Both phishing and vishing (voice phishing) have become increasingly clever, and have racked up some victims.
It’s great that consumers are more aware of better cybersecurity practices, but it doesn’t take much for someone to find their way to a fake or suspicious website.
Here is what Daniel Assouline, CEO at Lavasoft, had to say:
” With so many tech tools at their disposal, the modern traveler has become so budget savvy that they choose to seek out the cheapest deals, which ultimately may lead them to inadvertently click on something fraudulent, resulting in a multitude of online risks. These risks can include identity or credit card theft, exposed personal information and computer malfunction. Being so focused on getting the most bang for their buck, travelers might turn a blind eye to their online safety. We hope that this study can remind consumers to prioritize online safety while booking summer travel.”
It doesn’t matter if you’re at your PC or using a mobile device, running some type of anti-virus and anti-malware solution is ideal. I’ll have future blogs that discuss some of the most common scams and phishing attempts – and why they are so effective.
