Fake airline support accounts target frustrated customers

Scammers are posing as airline customer-support teams to target people who complain about poor flying experiences on social media, according to TechRadar, citing new research from Check Point.

Customers often tag airlines on X, Facebook, Instagram or other platforms to seek help or an explanation. Check Point found that hackers monitor these complaints and create accounts that impersonate airlines or their support departments. When a complaint appears, the accounts may publicly apologize and offer help through private messages, WhatsApp or another platform.

The outcomes vary. Criminals may try to obtain personal and payment information before attempting a wire transfer, or direct victims to fake forms that could help build a database for later use. Check Point said it does not know exactly when the campaign began, although some impersonation accounts date from before 2024. Most were created in 2024 or later. The researchers said hundreds of new accounts appear daily and that the activity has accelerated over the past two years. Similar fake-support fraud was also reported on X in 2021 during the crypto ICO craze.