The dark web is full of cheap travel offers but buyers should beware when hunting for a bargain
- From buying flights bought using stolen credit cards to discounted tours and car rentals, the dark web is full of shady travel deals
- But it is not the only place travellers should avoid. Others include unsecured websites and wireless hotspots designed to collect personal information.
Think the real world is a dangerous place for travellers? Try visiting the virtual one, a place filled with shady travel offers and criminals who want to steal your personal information.
It’s the time of year when people start planning their summer holidays, and with everyone watching the bottom line, the temptation to save a few dollars by booking online is strong. That might include searching the underside of the internet for a bargain.
A recent survey by the British security company Comparitech should make you consider carefully where you buy. The research discovered a vibrant market for frequent-flier miles on the “dark web”, a hidden part of the internet that requires special software to access. On one site, Comparitech found that you can buy 100,000 points for as little as US$884.
“The type of sites most commonly associated with the dark web are marketplaces where illicit goods such as narcotics, firearms and stolen credit card numbers are bought and sold,” says the report’s author, Paul Bischoff. “The darkest corners are used to hire hit men, engage in human trafficking and exchange child pornography.”
Bischoff says that if you get caught with stolen airline miles or selling your own miles, the airline can wipe out your account and leave you with nothing. “Airlines can even cancel your bookings if they’ve found you’ve broken the terms of service,” he says.