Did you receive a letter saying you won two free tickets on US Airlines, and all you had to do was attend a two-hour seminar to pick them up?
Don't go.
First tip-off - there is no US Airlines.
But that's the scam being run these days by con artists and disreputable travel agents in a classic bait and switch. They figure you'll be so excited to get two free airline tickets that you won't even notice it said US Airlines, not US Airways, the actual carrier.
This isn't far removed from the vacation resorts, where you're drawn in by tickets to a Las Vegas show or a free meal at a restaurant just for going to a two-hour presentation on a time-share condo.
And then they hit you with the heavy, high-pressure sales pitch to buy or put a down payment on a place right then and there.
In many cases, the original enticement doesn't even materialize. In this instance, how could it since there is no US Airlines?
However, US Airways is warning customers of the scam, advising "do not call the number or give anyone your personal information. Be sure to report it to the Better Business Bureau or your local authorities."
Some customers have also received emails.
"Some of our customers have received fraudulent emails claiming to be from US Airways. This phishing email may include a fake confirmation code, someone else's passenger information and an offer to apply for a US Airways Dividend Miles credit card. If you receive a suspicious email, do not click on any links or open any attachments. Just delete it," the airline wrote on its website. "We're committed to protecting your privacy and assure you all your personal information has been kept safe and confidential. We continuously look out for email scams and other types of illegal activity and report such activity immediately."
US Airways warned what to look for, and it includes:
• Someone else's information under "Passenger summary"
• A subject line like "Your US Airways fly order" or "Your US Airways trip"
• A "from" address like [email protected] or [email protected]
A legitimate US Airways confirmation email comes from [email protected] and has the subject line "Your US Airways flight" or "Your US Airways flight info."
Before you click, check the link by hovering your mouse pointer over it and identifying what URL (website) is displayed. A legitimate link will have a website address/URL with usairways.com.
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