Travellers flying with Etihad Airways have come under the radar of online scammers posing as airline representatives and offering quick refunds for disrupted flights. The airline has issued a worldwide advisory together with Abu Dhabi Police which advises passengers to remain vigilant and use only official channels for their ticket cancellation and compensation request needs.
The warning appears during a period when regional flight disruptions have created passenger anxiety about rescheduling their travel plans and recovering their expenses which fraudsters currently use as an opportunity to exploit.
According to the airline’s advisory, fraudsters create fake social media profiles that closely resemble official Etihad accounts. These accounts frequently handle passenger complaint responses together with online refund request inquiries through public channels. The accounts request users to transition their discussions from public platforms to direct messaging.
The scammers begin their request for sensitive information, which includes booking references, banking credentials, and card information, and one-time passwords, after the contact moves to private chats. The reported cases show that victims lost money through fraudulent transactions because their digital wallets were hacked after they clicked on malicious links during these interactions.
The authorities report that the scams operate based on two main factors, which create urgent situations and generate confusion among people. The pressure to respond quickly increases the vulnerability of passengers who face cancelled or delayed flights to deceptive refund promises.
Etihad has clarified that it never asks customers to share passwords, payment details, or verification codes through unsolicited messages on social media or messaging apps. The airline has required passengers to check refund procedures through its website, mobile app, and official customer service numbers.
Abu Dhabi Police have reported that fraud attempts have become more advanced because of their ‘increasing sophistication’, according to their assessment, which advises all travelers to avoid contacting accounts that do not have verification badges and display uncommon follower counts and show strange patterns of communication.
The experts advise travellers to avoid refund offers received through direct messages, and they should verify information with official airline channels. The basic protection against scams requires users to report fake accounts, while they should not disclose their personal data or financial details on the internet.
The rising travel demand, together with ongoing regional disruptions, requires authority officials to emphasize that public awareness serves as the most effective protection against new digital fraud techniques.