As travellers, we have never had more freedom to research vacations, compare costs for flights, or to secure our accommodation reservations online.
However, such independence comes with dangers. Big data breaches appear to be on the rise in the travel sector, with high-profile cyberattacks in recent years. Below, we have gathered some useful tips to protect you when you book your trips online.
Make sure you are on the correct website when you book your tickets
When planning your trip, choosing the right travel booking website is crucial. Many people fall victim to phoney travel websites each year, which are developed by hackers to thieve your financial information or defraud you of thousands of dollars.
Imagine that you have made a reservation at a hotel or airline, but when you arrive, they could not find your information. Such travel websites would use eye-catching marketing, fantastic discounts, and tempting offers to entice users and keep them there.
Make sure you pay attention to the following things when booking online:
- Verify the website’s URL to see if it starts with the security mark “https,” which should be present.
- Avoid clicking on odd links in emails that promise spectacular travel offers.
- If the hotel is affiliated with the booking website, visit their website to double-check the facts.
- Select only well-known third-party booking websites rather than any odd sites you come across.
- Look for reviews on well-known discussion boards like Quora, TripAdvisor, moutshut.com, etc. Customers will undoubtedly submit evaluations on these websites if the website is excellent.
Instead of using debit cards or online bank transfers, use credit cards for your purchases
Instead of using debit cards or internet banking, try making your reservations with credit cards as you have a chance at keeping your money safe. Even if cybercriminals obtain your credit card information, you won’t completely lose everything because your savings and other assets will be secure.
In the event that you become a target of credit card theft, the majority of credit card companies provide fraud protection, so you can file a claim and possibly have your charges reduced or eliminated.
Bonus: a lot of travel websites offer extra deals and discounts to help you snag cheap flights and hotels if you pay using certain credit cards.
To protect your payments online, use a VPN
Make sure to use a VPN while making reservations to protect your financial data since it will be encrypted by the VPN. There are a lot of online VPN softwares available to download, and you can utilize one to conduct searches or make purchases. Hackers would find it exceedingly challenging to get your sensitive information because to VPN’s advanced authentication system. It is regarded as one of the safest methods of sending data over the internet. However, it is better to pick a reliable VPN after reading online reviews of it.
Utilize a reliable antivirus software with the safe browsing function
If you are using a PC, you can also use a good antivirus software with a safe surfing feature, and keep one installed at all times to protect yourself against phishing and other online hazards. PCs without anti-malware programs are more likely to be the target of online attacks.
Users can browse in a private, cookie-free environment using antivirus software that offers safe browsing. Additionally, antivirus warns users when they are going to browse a potentially dangerous website. You will therefore be stopped from browsing malicious websites.