Latin America. With the arrival of the holiday seasons, particularly in summer, the demand for tourism services and the organization of trips on e-commerce platforms reaches its maximum level, which also increases the danger of online fraud.
As trust in digital platforms for managing bookings and payments grows, cybercriminals are adopting more sophisticated tactics.
According to a McAfee report, one in three travelers in the United States has been a victim of digital vacation fraud and almost one in four has lost more than a thousand dollars in a single scam. According to Adyen's Digital Report 2024 Index, digital companies in Mexico suffered losses of between 10 and 13 million pesos in 2024 due to fraudulent actions.
In this scenario, the relevance of strengthening digital security in tourism operations platforms stands out. This not only protects users, but also contributes to the profitability of companies.
According to a study by the Mexican Association of Online Sales (AMVO), 53% of Mexican travelers plan to book or buy everything related to their trips digitally, while 44% plan to do so on both channels (physical store and internet).
"It is essential that travelers stay alert and take precautions to avoid falling victim to vacation fraud," says Daniel Mazzucchelli, Sumsub's Director of Expansion in Latin America. "The convenience of shopping platforms should not be an obstacle for users to have access to digital security," he adds.
According to Sumsub, some of the most common holiday frauds include:
• Fraudulent holiday ads: Scammers post fake ads and leave after getting previous payments.
• Use of deepfakes: artificial intelligence is used in the creation of modified videos and audios with the purpose of generating false identities and scams. According to Expedia Group, 32% of domestic tourists have used conversational Artificial Intelligence to organize their vacations.
• Counterfeit passport enforcement: Scammers sign up for high-end hotels and make purchases with cloned cards before disappearing.
• Mixed frauds: fake airline emails are used to steal bank details.
• Structured fraud: groups of fraudsters market fictitious tourist packages at reduced costs.
• Identity theft: criminals steal personal information from low-security sites in order to establish lines of credit or make fraudulent purchases.
• Persistent fraud: after collecting reservation information, extra charges are made to credit cards.
