Beware! Scammers are on the prowl, exploiting fake social media accounts to impersonate major UK airlines. According to consumer association these bogus accounts are rampant on X, previously known as Twitter, and are adeptly used to deceive customers into divulging their personal information.
These fraudulent accounts, X’s response has been sluggish, failing to promptly remove the offending profiles. While the social media platform asserts a policy against misleading and deceptive identities, the efficacy of its enforcement remains questionable.
The modus operandi of these scammers involves preying on frustrated customers seeking assistance from airlines. Through social media crawling, often facilitated by automated bots, they intercept customer inquiries or complaints and respond under the guise of legitimate airline accounts. Such interactions often lead to requests for sensitive personal data or redirection to phishing websites, where financial information is compromised.
Fake accounts impersonating major UK airlines such as British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Tui, Virgin Atlantic, and Wizz Air. Despite efforts to report these fake accounts, many remain active, posing a persistent threat to unsuspecting social media users.
In response to these fraudulent activities, airlines urge customers to exercise caution and refrain from sharing personal information on social media platforms. Official channels, distinguished by verification badges, serve as the sole legitimate points of contact for airline-related queries or support. Additionally, customers are advised to avoid engaging with suspicious accounts or clicking on dubious links.
Both easyJet and Wizz Air stress the importance of reporting fake accounts and emphasize the need for customers to safeguard their personal details by refraining from sharing them on social media platforms. Instead, customers are encouraged to utilize designated customer service channels for assistance.”
