Woman stuck in Hawai wildfires loses Rs 2 lakh in online scam while trying to prepone her flight

• While attempting to change their trip due to the Hawaiian wildfires, a couple from California fell prey to an online fraud.
• Scammers impersonating Southwest Airlines duped the pair into disclosing their confirmation numbers and ticket information.
• The couple lost $3,400 as a result of the scam and were trapped in Maui.

During their vacation in Maui, a California couple encountered a difficult scenario. Megan and Kevin Morgan travelled there with their 8-month-old baby to commemorate their fifth wedding anniversary. But when wildfires broke out on the island, they decided to depart early. They cancelled their dinner reservations and dashed out the door before the fires destroyed the restaurant they had reserved.

They examined their travel possibilities with Southwest Airlines because they wanted to return home to Sacramento, according to CBS news. They looked out the airline's phone number on the internet and dialled it. However, this proved to be a foolish decision because the number was actually that of a scammer.

They were duped into giving up their confirmation numbers and ticket information by the impostor. Even though they did not share their credit card information, the scammer had enough information to cause difficulty. The fraudster cancelled their return flights and utilised the flight credit to arrange a trip on the East Coast for someone else.

Megan claimed that the caller pretended to be from Southwest Airlines and even demanded money to change their flight. She realised there was something incorrect and hung up without providing any credit card information. However, it was too late.

The family suffered a significant financial loss as a result of this swindle, reaching $3,400 (about Rs 282,620). They were stranded on Maui, dealing with the aftermath of the wildfire and the consequences of the scam. Megan voiced her disbelief, claiming that she had never heard of such a scam before.

Here's how to avoid such con artists.

When discovering phone numbers online, especially through search engines like Google, it's critical to proceed with caution and confirm their validity before dialling. Scammers can modify search results to present false contact information, leading to fraudulent activity. To keep safe, take the following precautions:

Always verify the source of the phone number. Look for the phone number on the website of the organisation or firm you're attempting to contact.

Contrast the number you discovered online with official contact information from reputable sources, such as official websites, official social media profiles, or recognised directories.

Avoid dialling numbers found through an online search without first verifying their legitimacy.Obtain contact information from trustworthy sources, such as official websites, customer care emails, or printed materials.If you suspect a phone number is a forgery or is involved in fraudulent activity, report it to the proper authorities or the platform where you discovered it.