Baggage Tag Scam
Full article215 words · extracted from schneier.com · click to collapse
I just heard about this:
There’s a travel scam warning going around the internet right now: You should keep your baggage tags on your bags until you get home, then shred them, because scammers are using luggage tags to file fraudulent claims for missing baggage with the airline.
First, the scam is possible. I had a bag destroyed by baggage handlers on a recent flight, and all the information I needed to file a claim was on my luggage tag. I have no idea if I will successfully get any money from the airline, or what form it will be in, or how it will be tied to my name, but at least the first step is possible.
But…is it actually happening? No one knows. It feels like a kind of dumb way to make not a lot of money. The origin of this rumor seems to be single Reddit post.
And why should I care about this scam? No one is scamming me; it’s the airline being scammed. I suppose the airline might ding me for reporting a damage bag, but it seems like a very minor risk.
Tags: air travel, scams
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