- Buyers of cheap travel deals often face canceled bookings and lost money
- Fraudulent travel reservations can appear legitimate until banks freeze accounts unexpectedly
- Cardholders discover unauthorized charges after multiple bookings have already been completed
Holiday discounts can look tempting, especially when flights and hotels feel overpriced during peak seasons – but experts have warned some of the cheapest deals circulating online are tied to criminal networks operating so-called buy-for-you schemes.
These operations rely on stolen credit card data to secure real bookings, which are later resold at steep discounts to unsuspecting buyers.
Investigations by security firms, including Saily and NordVPN, examined underground forums and private messaging channels where these services are promoted.
How the buy for you travel scam actually works
The findings describe a structured marketplace where sellers advertise flights, hotel stays, and car rentals at prices often 40% to 60% below retail rates.
Transactions frequently move from public social media posts to encrypted chat groups, where payments are requested through crypto or cash transfer apps.
For buyers, the risks are immediate and practical. A booking made with stolen card details can be canceled without warning once the fraud is detected.
Airlines or hotels may flag the reservation, freeze the account, or demand identity verification, and in some cases, buyers report losing both the trip and the money paid to the intermediary.
Escrow services are sometimes offered to create a sense of security, yet researchers note that some sellers bypass these safeguards and disappear after collecting funds.
Cardholders whose data is stolen face a different set of problems. Fraud often begins with small test purchases before escalating to expensive travel reservations.
“If your credit card details have been included in a data leak, they could be used to buy someone else a vacation,” says Vykintas Maknickas, CEO of Saily.
Because high-value travel transactions can resemble normal spending, fraudulent charges may not trigger immediate alerts.
Unfortunately, many users only notice the fraud when unusual charges appear on their bank statements, and by that time, multiple bookings may already be complete.
Banks then freeze accounts during investigations, which can disrupt routine payments and create financial stress.
Security specialists advise monitoring bank statements regularly and enabling real-time transaction alerts.
Strong passwords and two-factor authentication add another layer of defense, while limiting where payment details are stored reduces exposure in the event of a data breach.
Updated firewall software and endpoint protection can also reduce the risk of malware that captures card information.
Broader use of AI tools by financial institutions may help detect suspicious patterns earlier, although detection is not guaranteed.
The appeal of steep discounts continues to draw interest, particularly when offers are framed as insider deals with limited-time availability.
However, any arrangement requiring payment outside established booking platforms should raise concern, especially when communication shifts to private messaging apps.
The promise of a cheap holiday can quickly backfire, leaving both travelers and cardholders facing consequences that far outweigh the initial savings.
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