Like it or not, scammers are a real threat in this day and age, and not being careful could land you losing a substantial amount of money.
And although there are plenty of tips out there to help you deal with scammers, as they become more tactical, falling prey to them is much more common than you might think.
Unfortunately, the latest to be hit by scammers seems to be Norwegian Cruise Line, whose customers have recently been targeted by phone calls designed to take money from those looking forward to a cruise holiday.
Recently, one particular customer was targeted by a phone call, pretending to be the cruise line, in which they stated they were booking a large number of guests for a flight.
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According to an NCL crew member, who recently took to Reddit to post the story, the guest decided to make payment across two separate cards, which were later compromised and led to them losing $20,000 to the scammers.
"Full disclosure: I work for NCL", the Reddit user shared. "I wouldn't mention it except that this is important and I don't want it to happen to anyone else. This information comes directly from a guest I spoke with this morning."
In their post, the crew member offered cruise ship guests some tips on how to spot numbers that might not be coming from the cruise line.
Miami numbers could be legit, since that's where their office is based, as well as Sawgrass and Arizona.
So, according the the crew member, if the call doesn't start with 305, or 954, it could be a scam. The customer in question had received a call from a 301 area code, which doesn't match up to what NCL use.
On top of checking the area codes, the crew member also reminds passengers that they do not call the guests directly and that guests need to call them.
"Do not share details of your cruise reservation in ANY public forum", they added. "Yes, even here. Saying you'll be on a particular sailing is usually safe, but make sure your name, number in your traveling party, and other identifying details are not included. A dedicated scammer can find your reservation or enough specifics to fake it. Keep your reservation number private!"
Right now, there's no indication as to whether other guests have also been impacted by the same scam, but if you're planning a trip with the cruise line, it's worth making sure to be careful.
Regardless of how genuine a call might seem, it's always worth looking up the number, and making sure everything is legit. If you're not sure, you can simply hang up and call the company direct.
"If anyone claiming to be from the cruise line contacts you directly, don't be afraid to push back", the post concluded. "Ask them security questions that they should be able to answer easily. 'I forget, what's my balance due? When's my final payment?' If it doesn't feel right, hang up and dial us directly. The extra few minutes is worth it.
"Protect yourself and stay safe out there!"
Topics: Crime, Cruise Ship, Holiday, Travel, Money
Kegan Marquez