LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Scammers are using artificial intelligence to hijack travel and restaurant reservations.
Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, said what makes the scams so believable is that scammers now have access to so much legitimate information about consumers.
"The bad guys use AI to create convincing phishing text messages and engagements," Velasquez said. "They can also use it to purchase data on the dark web and then have that data sorted like who is my better target for a particular type of scam."
Here’s how it works:
Criminals are stealing names, phone numbers and reservation information by illegally accessing hotel and restaurant systems.
Velasquez said copycat websites impersonate legitimate brands to appear authentic.
"They are letter perfect," she said.
According to the ITRC, data breaches and AI allow scammers to mimic legitimate company employees.
They can call customers with accurate information and pretend to be calling from a restaurant or travel company.
"Right now because of our contact center, we've only seen a handful of them because I don't think people know where to report it," Velasquez said. "They don't realize there's actually a problem until they go take advantage of that reservation."
"Then they go to the hotel itself and that reservation doesn't exist," said Whitney Adkins with the Better Business Bureau in Louisville. "The scammer has gotten away with perhaps their money, if they've been given their financial information and also their personal information."
Velasquez said the organization recommends people go directly to the source if they did not initiate the communication.
"Call the restaurant phone number, call the hotel phone number, interacting with them whatever way you originally interacted with them to make the reservations in the first place," she said.
Adkins warned people to be cautious when booking through third-party sites.
"Make sure you're actually on the website," she said. "We always say don't just Google a phone number."
Sometimes, phone numbers found online are fake and lead to scammers.
OpenTable handles online restaurant reservations and also warns restaurant owners about scams. The company tells owners not to share their system passwords.
Scammers can access reservation records and diner information that could be used to contact guests and get their credit card information.
On its website, OpenTable says it will never ask restaurant owners for their passwords.
"There are reservation systems that have been compromised," Velasquez said. "I can tell you, it's global. We're not just seeing those in the U.S., it's across the entire world and that's what makes it particularly challenging."
You can report a fraudulent OpenTable text or email by clicking here. Travel scams can be reported online.
You can call or chat with ITRC for free. For more information, click here.
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