An increasing number of fake airline social media accounts have been popping up, reportedly targeting passengers affected by flight delays and cancellations due to the conflict in Iran and subsequent airspace closures. As customers turn to social media for answers, the major airlines impersonated by the scammers, Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates, have issued fraud warnings and advised passengers not to share any personal or booking information on social media.
The scam
According to a report by The Guardian, passengers who sought help with their disrupted flights on X (formerly Twitter) then received private messages from accounts seemingly operated by their airline.
Passengers are then asked for more details, including their phone number, and told that they might be owed compensation. But instead of receiving money, they are then tricked into giving it to the scammers.
Chris Ainsley, the head of fraud risk management at Santander UK, told The Guardian:
“Fraudsters are quick to exploit uncertainty and the travel disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East is no exception.”
“We’re already seeing criminals target people seeking refunds for booked travel and holidays, sending them a link to supposedly receive a refund but instead people’s accounts are being charged,” Ainsley added.
What the real airlines say
On Thursday, March 12, Emirates warned passengers on X about the growing number of fraudulent accounts, advising them not to reply to the airline’s posts, as scammers could take advantage of that information, and instead to contact Emirates directly.
Etihad also wrote on X that it had identified several fake accounts posing as the carrier’s official helpline and contacting passengers. It added that:
“Etihad will never request passwords, one‑time codes, payment details, or any sensitive information through social media messages.”
Qatar Airways posted a similar message earlier in the month, asking customers to only interact with the airline’s official channels: the website and the app.
Have you ever been targeted by a scammer posing as an airline? Tell us your experience in the comments.
