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Source: Reuters
Australian travellers may be stranded at the airport with bogus tickets at Christmas.
Travellers who have purchased airline tickets through fake websites are likely to have been skimmed of their money and left vulnerable to identity theft, a government agency has warned.
Believing they have purchased legitimate airline tickets, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's SCAMwatch website says people could find it is more than just Christmas that is ruined.
At best they can be left with no holiday but at worst fraudsters can take their personal details and use them to construct a fake identity which would allow them to borrow in their name - the ramifications of that can last for years," credit repairer Graham Doessel said.
"Identity theft can turn the victim's life upside down. Adverse listings can be difficult to have removed, simply because it is up to the victim to prove to creditors they didn't initiate the credit," Doessel said.
SCAMwatch has received a number of reports of fraudulent traders who have copied legitimate travel websites.
"Some victims have lost in excess of $1000 for fake international flight bookings, while others report instances of identity theft after interactions with the fake trader," the website warns.
The Australian Crime Commission says identity theft is the fastest growing crime in Australia, and a recent study presented by the Attorney-General's office revealed one in six people have had their identity stolen or misused in some way.
Identity theft occurs when criminals use a person's personal details, usually to obtain credit in their name.
When booking travel people are urged to be wary of any offer that comes via an unsolicited email and to check the URL is correct for legitimate-looking websites. SCAMwatch also says the purchase should never be made through a link in an email.
For more information on identity theft, people can visit the MyCRA website
