Free ticket giveaways are almost everywhere on social media. Several posts about these vacation tickets have brought excitement to those who want to travel abroad, but Emirates airlines said these are all bogus tricks from scammers.
Fake Emirates Ticket Promotion on Social Media
(Photo : Unleashed Agency from Unsplash)
Emirates warned that the viral social media posts about free round-trip tickets are all fake.
According to a report by Khaleej Times, the official airlines of UAE (United Arab Emirates) issued a statement that the social media posts giving away round-trip tickets are all spitting "fake news."
The promotion offers a person a free ticket just by answering four questions. The scam quickly went viral, and other people had no idea it was a bogus tactic to fool the customers off-guard.
"Emirates is aware that there are online competitions circulating regarding giveaways. This is not an official competition and we advise caution," a spokesperson from Emirates told Khaleej Times.
Another Shady Social Media Post Related to Emirates
In another story from Mashable, there was a previous report that another social media post was circulating online. In particular, it says a Dh10,000 ($2,723) reward is waiting for those contestants who will win the contest sponsored by Emirates.
Across the region, the government and even public and private organizations are aware of these scams. They warned the citizens to carefully check if the source of information is trusted or not.
If it is proven to be a bogus alert, the officials said that this incident could fall under cyber fraud. With that being said, they cautioned people to be more mindful when it comes to online information on social media platforms.
Additionally, the local authorities and other financial institutions reminded the users to scrutinize the transactions, especially if there's money involved.
Back in March, the authorities returned Dh21 million ($5,717,242) to all people who have fallen victim to cyber fraud in UAE.
At the time, the spokesperson said that the authorized channels of Emirates were marked with a blue tick on social media. That way, the people will know the official content from a reliable source.
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How to Avoid Online Scams
If you still know more tips on avoiding scams online, Tech Times reported that the FTC has previously given some signs that you need to check for confirmation.
The agency says that scammers usually give how you can pay for a product. However, government institutions won't ask you about that.
Another thing is that they always ask for their contact number. If they did not give you what you want to get, there's a big possibility that the person you're conversing with is a scammer.
To avoid scams, refrain from clicking suspicious links from texts and websites. Do not call an unknown number sent to your email, as well.
Lastly, make sure to use the 2FA method for double protection against fraudsters and hackers.
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Written by Joseph Henry