SWFL woman gets call that says flight canceled, confirms it’s from scammers

Imagine getting ready for your flight only to be told it was canceled. Then, it turns out it was all just a crook trying to get ahold of your money and personal information.

We spoke to a woman in Southwest Florida who received this call and confirmed it was a scam Monday.

Looking forward to their vacation, Kathleen and William Cooke were shocked when they listened to a voicemail.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God. What are we going to do?’” Kathleen said. I was so panic-stricken. I didn’t know what to do.”

Kathleen tried calling them back, just like we did. But there was no answer. She decided to call her travel agent early Monday morning.

“I gave her the phone number, and she entered it into the computer, Kathleen said. “And she said, ‘Oh, no, this is a scam. There are a lot of people complaining about this online.’”

The Better Business Bureau posted about this scam last summer, saying scammers will persuade you to give them your bank and personal info to either reschedule the flight or refund you.

“There’s no reason you’ve got to give up this information,” said Rich Koko, WINK News Safety & Security Specialist. “If you’re suspicious or if you think the call isn’t right, simply tell them you’re going to call the organization back.”

Although Kathleen and her husband planned the trip through an agent, BBB says these scammers can often learn of your travel plans through third-party travel sites.

BBB also recommends doing some research on companies you’ve never bought from before to make sure they are a legitimate company.

“Anytime you use a credit card, your money is a little safer than using a debit card or sending a check,” Kolko said. “So that’s the first step. Use the credit card. Track the purchases you make.”