Beware! Travel scams on the rise

Muscat: A growing wave of sophisticated online travel scams is targeting travellers from Oman, with cybercriminals using fake airline, hotel and transport booking websites to steal banking details, personal information and payments, cybersecurity experts have warned. While many residents are now returning from their summer vacations, overseas travel continues throughout the year, making fake booking scams an increasingly persistent threat. Experts say fraudsters exploit the trust people place in well-known travel brands, using convincing phishing websites, fraudulent payment portals and bogus compensation offers to trick unsuspecting travellers. Global cybersecurity company Kaspersky said cybercriminals are increasingly impersonating leading airlines, ride-hailing services and online booking platforms to lure victims into revealing sensitive financial information. According to Kaspersky, its security solutions detected nearly 270,000 cyberattack attempts linked to popular travel brands between 2025 second quarter and first quarter of 2026 worldwide.Airlines and transport companies accounted for the largest share of attacks, with cybercriminals creating fake websites and phishing campaigns designed to mimic legitimate services.Researchers said most of the threats involved Trojan malware, including banking Trojans capable of stealing financial credentials and giving attackers direct access to victims’ bank accounts.One scam identified by Kaspersky impersonated European budget airline Ryanair, falsely informing travellers they were eligible for flight compensation. Victims were urged to act within seconds by entering account credentials or paying a small “processing fee” to receive the refund. Kaspersky stressed that legitimate airlines do not ask customers to make upfront payments to process compensation claims.Accommodation booking platforms have also become a major target. Kaspersky recorded more than 5,400 attack attempts involving hotel and travel booking services during the same period.In one case, fraudsters created a convincing fake Booking.com payment page where travellers unknowingly entered their personal and banking details. Many discovered the deception only after arriving at their destination to find that no reservation had ever been made.“Travel brands sit at a unique intersection of trust, urgency and payment activity, making them highly attractive to cybercriminals,” said Evgeny Kuskov, Lead Security Researcher at Kaspersky.Cybersecurity experts advise travellers to make bookings only through official websites or trusted mobile applications, carefully verify website addresses before making payments, avoid clicking on unsolicited travel offers received through email, SMS or messaging apps, and never carry out financial transactions over unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. CPA warningIn Oman, the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) has also urged the public to remain alert against electronic fraud by verifying the authenticity of websites before submitting complaints or conducting online transactions.In an awareness advisory, the authority said users should ensure that official government websites begin with “https” and end with “.gov.om”, confirming they belong to authorised government entities in Oman.It stressed that complaints and reports should be submitted only through its official portal and warned that even minor changes in a website address could indicate a phishing attempt.The authority urged consumers to check the cancellation and amendment policies before confirming any reservation to avoid unexpected financial obligations or disputes that may arise from changes to travel plans.CPA also stressed the importance of verifying all booking details, including accommodation and reservation information, before arrival to ensure a smooth and comfortable stay.The warning comes amid growing concern over travel-related fraud in Oman.In a recent case, several residents in Dhofar were reportedly duped by a fraudulent travel and tourism agency that promised luxury overseas packages at heavily discounted prices before disappearing with customers’ money.Individual losses ranged from OMR100 to more than OMR1,500.Victims, many of them families, were initially approached through raffle coupon booths set up outside supermarkets before receiving congratulatory calls claiming they had been selected among “5,000 families” eligible for exclusive international holiday packages. Authorities later confirmed the offers were part of an elaborate scam.