Holiday Travelers Warned of Surge in Phishing Scams
Check Point Research reports a significant spike in cyberattacks on the hospitality and travel sector, with 2,291 average weekly attacks in May 2026, a 122% increase over the last three years. Scammers are targeting travelers with spoofed websites, urging verification of domains before entering personal data.
Key points
- Check Point Research found 2,291 average weekly cyberattacks on the hospitality, travel, and recreation sector in May 2026, a 122% increase over the last three years.
- The global year-over-year rise across all industries was just 2%, suggesting a deliberate targeting of holiday-goers.
- Spoofed websites of Booking, Airbnb, and Skyscanner were used in the attacks, with 47,000 new travel domains registered and 1 in 112 flagged as malicious.
- Travelers are urged to verify domains before entering personal or payment data to avoid falling victim to phishing scams.
- The attacks rose 24% month-over-month, with a significant increase in attacks on the industry compared to May 2023.
Check Point Research has sounded the alarm on a surge in cyberattacks targeting the hospitality and travel sector, with a significant spike in phishing scams during the holiday season. The security experts found that the sector recorded 2,291 average weekly cyberattacks per organization in May 2026, a 122% increase over the last three years.
The attacks rose 24% month-over-month, with a significant increase in attacks on the industry compared to May 2023. The global year-over-year rise across all industries was just 2%, suggesting a deliberate targeting of holiday-goers.
Scammers are using spoofed websites of popular travel companies such as Booking, Airbnb, and Skyscanner to target travelers. The researchers found that 47,000 new travel domains were registered, with 1 in 112 flagged as malicious. Travelers are urged to verify domains before entering personal or payment data to avoid falling victim to phishing scams.
The attacks are a reminder of the importance of online security during the holiday season. Travelers should be cautious when entering personal or payment data online and verify the authenticity of websites before making any transactions.
Sources
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