Phishing Attacks in the Hospitality industry

What are Phishing Scams?

Phishing attacks or scams are a common type of online fraud that can be dangerous for businesses and people alike. The goal of a phishing scam is to get people to give sensitive information, like login credentials or credit card information, through fake/phishing emails or fake websites. Phishing scams can be very dangerous in the hospitality industry because they can target both employees and customers of hotels and other businesses that deal with travel.

Most phishing scams start with an unsolicited email that looks like it came from a reliable source, like a bank, the government, or a well-known company. The email could have a fake request for information, like a notice about a problem with the recipient’s account or a request to update account information. The email may also have a link to a fake website that looks like the real website of a trusted source but is actually run by the attacker.

Once the target clicks on the link and gives the attacker the information they’ve asked for, the attacker can use it for many things, like identity theft, fraud, or financial crimes. In some cases, the attacker may also use the information to get into the recipient’s accounts or systems or to steal sensitive data or intellectual property.

Phishing attacks often target hotel workers because they have access to sensitive information like customer data, payment information, and login credentials. Attackers may target hotel employees by making fake emails or websites that look like they come from trusted sources, like the hotel’s own IT department or a supplier or partner.

How To Stop Phishing Attacks?

To stop phishing scams, hotel workers should be taught how to spot and report suspicious emails and websites. This training should teach people about the most common types of phishing scams and how to check if emails and websites are real. For example, employees should be told to look for signs of phishing emails, such as an urgent or threatening tone, a request for sensitive information, or a mismatch between the sender’s name and email address.

Employees should also be taught how to protect their own sensitive information, such as their login credentials, by using strong passwords, turning on two-factor authentication, and not using the same password for more than one account. Also, employees should be told to be careful when clicking on links in emails, especially unsolicited emails, and to avoid entering sensitive information into websites that are not secure or are not from a trusted source.

Phishing scams can also target hotel customers, especially if they use the hotel’s website to make reservations, manage their accounts, or get to other private information. Hotels should put strong security measures on their websites, like encryption, secure servers, and regular software updates, to keep their customers safe. Hotels should also explain clearly on their websites what information they collect, how they use it, and how they keep it safe.

Customers can also protect themselves by being careful when clicking on links in emails or entering sensitive information on websites. They should look for signs that a website is safe, like a lock icon in the address bar or a web address that starts with “https.” They also shouldn’t put sensitive information on websites that aren’t secure or aren’t from a source they can trust.

Conclusion

Phishing scams are a big problem for hotels and other businesses that deal with travel. They can target both customers and employees. Hotels should put in place strong security measures, train their staff to spot and report suspicious behaviour, and teach customers how to protect themselves. By doing these things, hotels can help protect their staff and customers from the dangers of phishing scams.