Travel booking site Booking.com has detected "between 500% and 900%" more cases of scams through its platform in the last 18 months, BBC reports.
The increase in phishing cases (where people are tricked into sharing their financial details and are then scammed) is directly linked to the rise of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, according to Booking.com.
"Of course, phishing has existed since the beginning of email, but the increase started shortly after ChatGPT was launched," Marnie Wilking, head of internet security at Booking.com, told BBC.
AI is making false advertisements or emails with fake links look much more realistic than before. Whereas e-mails from scammers used to often contain obvious signs of fraud – from spelling mistakes to weird grammatical constructions – they are now much harder to spot. Due to AI, realistic images and correct text are now easily generated in multiple languages.
Stepping up efforts
The booking website is trying to keep up by deploying its own advanced technology to cut off scammers. "We have AI models as well. They detect such messages and block them even before they land on our platform or delete them again before a booking is made."
Additionally, she wants to remind hotels and travellers to use two-factor authentication as an extra security verification, which often involves sending a code to your phone – which Wilking called "the best way to combat phishing."
Travel providers should also "step up efforts" to make people aware of the dangers of scams, according to Jane Hawkes, a consumer expert specialising in the travel industry. "They also have a responsibility to advise travellers ways to minimise the risk of being scammed."
Still, travellers should also do their research "with due diligence" to avoid falling for the scams, she stressed. It is important to check that contact details are readily available on the hotel websites – particularly a telephone number, as many scam sites purposely do not have one.
