BRIT holidaymakers are being warned to be on the lookout for scams that could see their personal data being stolen on social media. A recent study from consumer watchdog Which? found that airline customers were being targeted by fake social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter). The consumer champion found bogus accounts for every major airline in the UK, including British Airways , easyJet , Jet2 , Ryanair , Tui , Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air.
Fake accounts on X are often used to trick customers into giving away their personal data to a scammer posing as an airline (or other legitimate business). The scammers will often prey on vulnerable and frustrated customers who've contacted an airline about a problem. From flight delays and cancellations to lost baggage , the scammers will reply to the passenger's complaint, hoping the customer won't notice that the reply has come from a fake account.
Customers will then receive replies from the airline's genuine account as well as the fake accounts. According to the consumer champion , both accounts use "near-identical language" and will apologise for any inconvenience caused. Although the fake airline accounts will often ask customers for personal information, such as a phone number and bank details.
While X permanently suspends any misleading or deceptive accounts, Which? found several fake accounts that were active at the time of writing, with one of their researchers even receiving replies from a bogus account. In its report, Whi.
