Phishing emails targeting the inbound tourism industry have increased recently with several South African accommodation suppliers issuing notifications to the trade.
According to SATSA, members have been targeted by fraudulent emails designed to look as though they originate from legitimate tourism suppliers. In the latest incidents, the emails urge recipients to “confirm” a reservation via a link, claiming that the booking will be automatically cancelled if no action is taken.
In a statement to members, SATSA said: “While this is the latest tactic we’ve seen, phishing attempts can take many forms. They are often designed to create a sense of urgency, trick recipients into clicking malicious links, sharing sensitive information or making fraudulent payments.”
SATSA advises a cautious approach if an email:
- Creates unnecessary urgency or pressure such as warning that a booking will be cancelled or action must be taken immediately
- Requests that you click a link to confirm, verify or update a reservation or payment
- Appears to come from a trusted supplier but the sender’s actual email address differs from the company’s official email domain
- Requests payment or advises that banking details have changed
- Includes links that appear unusual or do not match the supplier’s official website
- Contains spelling, grammatical or formatting inconsistencies that seem out of character
In the cases reported to SATSA, expanding the sender details revealed an email address that did not belong to the accommodation provider despite the display name appearing legitimate.
Before clicking on any links or making a payment:
- Expand the sender details to verify the actual email address
- Do not click on links or open attachments if you have any doubts
- Contact the supplier directly using your existing contact details or those published on their official website
- Avoid using any contact information provided in the suspicious email
- Independently verify any request relating to payments or changes to banking details before processing a transaction
- Hover over hyperlinks (without clicking) to preview where they lead and check that the destination is legitimate
