- Buyers of cheap travel deals often face canceled reservations and loss of money.
- Fraudulent travel bookings may appear legitimate until banks unexpectedly freeze accounts
- Cardholders discover unauthorized charges after multiple reservations have already been completed
Discounts on holidays may seem tempting, especially when flights and hotels seem too expensive during peak seasons, but experts have warned that some of the cheapest deals circulating online are linked to criminal networks that operate so-called buy-your-own schemes.
These operations rely on stolen credit card data to secure real reservations, which are then resold at deep discounts to unsuspecting buyers.
Investigations by security companies including Saily and NordVPN examined underground forums and private messaging channels where these services are promoted.
How the “buy for yourself” travel scam really works
The findings describe a structured market where sellers advertise flights, hotel stays and car rentals at prices often 40% to 60% below retail rates.
Transactions frequently move from public social media posts to encrypted chat groups, where payments are requested through cash transfer apps or cryptocurrencies.
For buyers, the risks are immediate and practical. A reservation made using stolen card details may be canceled without notice once fraud is detected.
Airlines or hotels may report the reservation, freeze the account or require identity verification, and in some cases, buyers report losing both the trip and the money paid to the intermediary.
Escrow services are sometimes offered to create a sense of security, but researchers note that some sellers bypass these safeguards and disappear after collecting the funds.
Cardholders whose data is stolen face a different set of problems. Fraud often starts with small test purchases before escalating to expensive travel bookings.
“If your credit card data has been included in a data breach, it could be used to buy a vacation for someone else,” says Vykintas Maknickas, CEO of Saily.
Because high-value travel transactions may look like a normal expense, fraudulent charges may not trigger immediate alerts.
Unfortunately, many users only become aware of fraud when unusual charges appear on their bank statements, and by then, several reservations may have already been completed.
Banks then freeze accounts during investigations, which can disrupt routine payments and create financial stress.
Security specialists recommend regularly monitoring bank statements and enabling real-time transaction alerts.
Strong passwords and two-factor authentication add another layer of defense, while limiting where payment details are stored reduces exposure in the event of a data breach.
Updated firewall software and endpoint protection can also reduce the risk of malware capturing card information.
Wider use of artificial intelligence tools by financial institutions may help detect suspicious patterns sooner, although detection is not guaranteed.
The lure of deep discounts continues to draw interest, particularly when deals are presented as in-house deals with limited-time availability.
However, any arrangement that requires payment outside of established booking platforms should raise concerns, especially when communication moves to private messaging apps.
The promise of a cheap vacation can quickly backfire, leaving both travelers and cardholders facing consequences that far outweigh the initial savings.
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