Booking travel isn’t usually done in a state of calm. You’re trying to match the cheapest flights and hotel dates, juggle transport connections, and in the worst-case scenario, coordinate with a number of travel companions with different opinions. Amongst all of this, it’s easy to make mistakes.
One Typo Could End Your Vacation Early
We all know to carefully check that the name on your booking matches your passport, otherwise you may very well be denied boarding your flight. You should also triple check that you enter your email address and phone number correctly: getting these wrong could give the owner of your mistyped email address (for example, you’re john@example.com, and you accidentally enter jon@example.com), or your number-neighbor the power to log into your account and cancel your flight, hotel, and restaurant bookings.
It’s rude, but it’s been done (and if you’re constantly entering someone else’s email instead of your own, some might say it’s justifiable).
Many booking companies also rely on ‘magic links’ that immediately log you into your account from the confirmation email, no password required, making it vital that you keep your email account secure with multi-factor authentication.
Sharing Your Plans Can Lead To Costly Pranks
In many airline systems, surname and booking number are enough to get access to the booking and all the information in it. Flaunting your tickets on social media and exposing these details means that anyone can simply log in and cancel your vacation out from under you.
Even without the booking number itself, someone who knows enough about you might be able to bluff their way through customer support for your airline or hotel and get them to cancel or change your booking, so it’s best to keep your plans to yourself, and brag when you get back home.
From Costly Prank To Full Blown Scam
A disgruntled stranger canceling your plans can be upgraded to a full-blown scam if you aren’t careful. Scammers have been breaking into travelers’ bookings, and canceling them—then posing as a representative from an airline or hotel to ‘fix’ the accidental cancelation for a small fee. Of course, the fee goes to the scammer, and you show up to your flight to find that you won’t be on it.
Accidentally giving a stranger access to your travel bookings also hands them a wealth of personal information that can be used to impersonate or scam you further. Once you’re on the road safely, you should make sure your devices are secured and that you follow security best practices to help keep your accounts and personal info secure.
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