Advances in technology have made everything easier for people with smartphones and laptops. However, this has led to an increase in online scams through these platforms. A recent example of this is when online scammers target a popular airline’s customer service helpline number on Google in an attempt to defraud passengers. Twitter user Shamuli Evers shared her experience, alleging that an imposter tried to scam her by posing as a Delta Airlines customer support staff. The tweet received more than 2 million views. On July 17, New York’s John F. Shamuli Evers shares her experience with a fraud attempt by fraudsters while booking a flight from Kennedy International Airport.
In his post, Evers noted that his Delta flight had been canceled, leading him to look for an alternate flight. As a result, he searched for the Delta Air Lines customer helpline number on Google Maps and dialed the contact number provided by Google, hoping to book another flight through Delta Airlines.
Shortly after the call started, it suddenly ended. However, they later contacted him and requested his name and confirmation number. After receiving the details, they were able to find an alternate flight scheduled for later in the evening, which left Newark Liberty International Airport.
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my @Delta Flight from JFK is cancelled. The customer service line was huge, so I googled a Delta JFK phone number. The number was 1888-571-4869 Thinking I had reached Delta, I started telling them to put me on a new flight. — Shmuli Evers (@Shmuli) July 16, 2023
By providing him with my confirmation number and name, he was able to view my travel information on Delta. He found an alternate flight from Newark, leaving later that evening. But he wants to make sure of me. — Shmuli Evers (@Shmuli) July 16, 2023
The online scammer then sends her alternative flight details and asks her to call back. After calling her, Shimuli Evers was told that her original reservation had been canceled and she would now have to pay for a new booking. However, Evers realized that something was not right and he hung up. But the cheater kept calling her and even left a few texts.
Then he asked me to call him, he said he has to cancel my original reservation, and I have to pay for a new one… When I asked him where he was, he said Rochester NY, when I asked him where it was located, he said 2 hours south of NYC…
— Shmuli Evers (@Shmuli) July 16, 2023
After that he tried texting me, and he tried his best to help me get on the flight… he wanted me to pay him 5 times the original ticket price… if he was really from Delta he would have booked me on that flight. I hate scammers. — Shmuli Evers (@Shmuli) July 16, 2023
This incident led the New York passenger to track down the original number. Later, he discovered that the customer helpline number mentioned on the Delta Airlines website was different from the contact number listed on Google Maps.
“Looks like scammers changed @Delta number to JFK. I suggested an edit to @googlemaps on the actual delta number,” Shimuli Evers tweeted.
Looks like the scammers have changed @Delta I propose an edit to the JFK number @Google Maps At the actual delta number. pic.twitter.com/HAiGlzkqcu
— Shmuli Evers (@Shmuli) July 16, 2023
He then began his research and compiled a list of potential scammers linked to Google locations of popular airlines. He includes various airlines such as Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Air France, Qantas Airways, ITA Airways and Turkish Airlines.
This recent case confirmed that scams can happen if you fail to verify the number before giving your personal bank account details. Authorities strongly advise against sharing personal information through online interfaces. According to a report by CNN, Google said that their teams have already started to fix the errors on the website. Additionally, they are suspending any malicious accounts that are found and implementing more security measures to prevent such scams.
