Customer's frequent flyer miles have become a target for hackers with Delta and British Airways points commonly listed.This is according to an article by Forbes which is based on research conducted by Comparitech, the UK based researcher.
The article reports that hackers start by breaking into personal accounts. They can obtain the credentials—usually a username, password, and pin—through various means, such as breaching a data server with that information, or phishing individual account holders.With a working frequent flyer account in hand, the hacker can either sell the hacked account or transfer the miles into another account.
There are a number of precautions travellers can take to avoid falling victim to this scam, according to Comparitech.
Customers are advised to shred their boarding pass after a flight and to never post a photo of the boarding pass online. Boarding passes often have frequent flyer numbers printed on them making it too easy for the hackers. Comparitech also urged consumers to use strong passwords for their frequent flyer account and monitor it for anything suspicious. Flyers are also told to avoid accessing their account in public spaces using public WiFi, a haven for hackers.
Arthur Goldstuck, founder and md at World Wide Worx gave eTNW further insight on ways customers can protect themselves against cyber hacking. He advised that customers apply safe password practices such as avoiding common passwords that are easy to decipher, as well as being cautious of links that take you to a new website. He also noted that no South African bank will contact its customers via email requiring bank details. Keeping this in mind could help prevent falling victim to phishing scams. Goldstuck also afforded some responsibility to airlines by suggesting more stringent identity checking systems.
