SCAM! Don’t Fall For This When Traveling Out Of New York State

It’s hard to believe that we’re less than a month away from Labor Day. Where did the summer go?

The good news is that we’ve still got one more chance to take a quick trip out of town; the bad news is so does everyone else. Needless to say, thousands of travelers will likely be hitting our New York State roads and the skies on Labor Day weekend. 

READ MORE: Fantastic News For Travelers In New York State

The International Air Transport Association estimates that a record-shattering five billion passengers will fly somewhere this year, so chances are higher than in previous years that your travel plans may go awry. It’s not uncommon, especially on busy holiday weekends like Labor Day, for flights to be delayed or canceled. 

The worst part? There are sleazy con artists out there who are taking advantage of this by targeting vulnerable, stressed out travelers who are just desperate to get on a flight.

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If you’re planning on flying out of New York State in the near future, here’s how to make sure you don’t become a victim of this ruthless scam.

Warning: Don’t Fall For THIS If Your Flight Is Canceled Or Delayed

Frequent New York travelers know: it’s the airline's world; we just live in it. 

READ MORE: TSA Says Do This Before Traveling This Labor Day

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how early you arrive at the airport or how organized you are ahead of time with your baggage and boarding passes; you’ll still find yourself sitting at the airport for hours trying to get home after your scheduled flight never left the ground.

Your first instinct might be to make a phone call to the airline and try to book a new flight directly with them. Like we all do when we’re trying to find a business’s info, you’ll type “(Insert name of airline) phone number” into google, and then call the number that pops up.

Here’s why you really shouldn't do that. 

Scary Airline Phone Number Scam

A con targeting air travelers who search for an airline’s phone number online after their flight has been canceled or delayed has been making the rounds in recent years, and you need to be hyper-aware of it on busy holiday weekends like this upcoming Labor Day. 

According to AAA, criminals have been posting fake phone numbers that mislead customers into thinking they are calling an airline. Instead, the numbers lead them to an unrelated third party that may ask unknowing travelers for reservation and credit card numbers to pay a “service fee” or price difference between flights - often up to hundreds of dollars. 

Not only will they charge you for the fake “price difference” on a flight that doesn’t exist, but they will then use your credit cards to potentially rack up thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges.

What To Do If Your New York Flight Gets Canceled Or Delayed

Now that you know the warning signs to look out for, AAA suggests you stay calm and do the following if your flight gets axed:

•   If you’re at the airport already, find an available gate agent to speak with. If the lines are two long, try to connect with the airline using their official mobile app.
•   If you prefer to call the airline directly, you can usually find a toll-free phone number on their official website. 

BONUS TIP: Before your next trip, download the airline’s app to your phone and save their toll-free number in your contacts. 

It’s important to always remember that no airline will ever charge you for a canceled or delayed flight, so if anyone you call tells you otherwise, they’re a fraud. 

We know– it’s an enormous headache when your travel plans get messed up. It may be easier said than done, but the best thing to try to do is keep your cool, and remember that you’re too smart to let some sleazy jerk with a fake phone number take advantage of you during a stressful situation.