In this world of tussle and hustle where everyone is looking to reach their destiny, people travel long distances to fulfill their needs for success. Whether to study or to get a dream job, everyone is moving from one place to another every day of the week.
With passengers, there are some fraudsters who try different tactics to deceive the to get their belongings and valuables. According to Forbes, over 5000 customer complaints were filed in the era of the pandemic leading to the loss of over $8 Million in 2020 i.e. 30% higher as compared to the year 2019. This blog will discuss the most common types of travel fraud that must be stopped to protect passengers and how document verification can help tackle this fraud.
The most common types of Travel Fraud
● Fake Booking Apps
In this digital world, many travelers book their tickets online, either by reserving flight tickets for another country or booking a ride to the office, everyone is using some sort of online application. To get the most out of the, scammers use the trick of deploying fake ride-booking apps which claim to charge the least amount of money, luring the passengers into a trap.
● Overcharging Hotel Rooms
Booking a hotel with the best services and at least prices is the main goal of every traveler. Many hotels claim to provide the best facilities to travelers at low costs. Fraudsters can easily manipulate this trick into their way of scamming people when booking tickets online. They provide false information and trick the users to charge a handsome amount of money when they try to pick their favorite hotel rooms.
● Unverified Taxis and Pickups
Moving on from hotels to the outdoors, a passenger needs a conveyance service to and explore the world they arrived on. For this purpose, a new person always tends to choose a taxi service with cost-effective solutions. Fraudsters scam the passengers by driving taxis and pickups from unverified sources, they drive them into the dark and get their belongings and valuables in no time.
● Stolen Payment Details from Unverified Booking Platforms
Another way of cheating online in the traveling sector is to steal the account details of the passengers from booking platforms that are unverified and require legal authentication. Passengers book their tickets and get their identities stolen by scammers which they use to trick other people in the future.
● Other Passengers with False Identities
Many people are exploited by the other passengers traveling with them. They are scammers who illegally use the stolen identities of other people to get inside a travel network, after which they misguide other passengers by offering them fake discounts and benefits to get their resources including money, pins, and passwords.
Tips to Prevent Travel Frauds
● Use Verified Booking Agencies and Websites
Always trust a verified travel agency that is complied with KYC checks and verification. Travel fraud can be prevented by a complete checkup of the Identity of the clients as well as the management working in the travel organization.
● Make sure to verify Documents from a reliable source
Verifying documents is necessary before any onboarding process, It ensures security and safe traveling across the world. With verified documents, Fraudsters cannot intervene with fake identities within a verified system. Verifying from a reliable source prevents travel frauds and online scams.
● Verify with Biometrics to Enhance Security
Biometric verification is necessary to reduce the risk of theft of account information such as passwords and pins. Biometric verification causes the fraudsters to back off their keyloggers which are planted to get credential information.
● Avoid Fake Hotel rooms with Super Low Rates:
Many passengers are tricked by low-cost hotel rooms, so make sure to book a hotel from a verified source with real identities to prevent issues of getting a false room with no service as described online.
● Never Make Full Payments Without Confirming:
Many fraudsters ask for advance payments whenever providing any fake service, They can trick clients with several offers and benefits of advance payments. Never pay without confirming the identity of the service provider from a reliable resource or legal law agency.
● Identity Verification of the Drivers:
Many Travelers are ill-treated by taxi drivers with fake documents. They provide false information and take advantage of the passengers who are traveling alone. Always make sure to book taxi services that comply with KYC regulations and checks.
Conclusion
Travel Frauds are getting reluctant to the community as people are tricked into traps of fake benefits and discounts on several travel facilities such as free tickets and hotel rooms. People fall for many such policies and get their identities and assets stolen. Travel frauds are mainly caused due to unverified sources with no proper KYC checks. The document verification process is the necessary rule of most industries today to guarantee the safety of clients as well as businesses across the different sectors.
