Lessonpills

1

Think about these questions before watching. Share your ideas with a partner.

When you plan a trip, what steps do you take to find the best deals on flights or hotels?
What makes a travel website look trustworthy? What signs tell you it's safe to enter your payment details?
What advice would you give a friend who is booking their first big holiday online? What should they be careful about?

2

Watch the video carefully. Pay attention to the main ideas and key details.

Video script66 segments · click a timestamp to jump

travel brands, booking flights,

hotels and rental cars online is

popular for travelers.

>> Among the legitimate websites

you need to watch out for

copycat sites.

>> These scam websites will

either just, uh, steal your

money or or will infiltrate your

system.

>> Yvonne Caron of Brand Shield

, a digital risk protection

company, shared with us these

examples. He says his company

detects as suspicious travel

websites. Take a look to appear

to be major airlines. Another, a

popular travel booking site. But

Karen says they're fake and the

scam often starts with a

targeted ad on social media.

>> You're reaching a page that

gives you some special offer and

you want to take it. Take a

minute. Be careful. Go to the

main website of the company, see

that you can really reach the

same deal through the main

website in 2024.

>> According to the FTC,

consumers lost $274 million to

travel scams with the average

loss just under $1,000. Another

way scammers target you when you

search for travel.

>> In some cases, when you see

ads on Google or other search

engines, those ads sometimes

come up as, uh, one 800 number

or customer service number for a

certain airline or a hotel. And

that's especially when you're

where your flight is canceled or

something like that. And these

are many times scams. Be very

careful and make sure that

you're calling the right number.

Double check it. Make sure that

you reach the right website to

protect your money.

>> When booking any kind of

travel. Don't pay until you read

the fine print. If you're not

booking directly with the

airline or hotel, you use

extreme caution when booking

through a third party travel

website. Make sure you take a

look at the cancellation policy

to see whether the trip is

refundable. All And if the

communication goes to private

messaging on social media or

text, that's often a big red

flag. You are dealing with a

scammer. And remember

3

Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the video.

01What are two things that can happen if you use a fake travel website?

Sample answerThe website could steal your money, or it could put something dangerous, like a virus, on your computer.

02According to the video, how do scammers often get people to visit their fake websites?

Sample answerThey use targeted ads on social media that show a special offer or a really good deal.

03Why does the expert in the video suggest visiting a company's main website after seeing a special offer?

Sample answerIt's a way to check if the offer is real. If the deal is legitimate, it should also be available on the official site.

04What is one 'red flag' mentioned at the end of the video that shows you might be communicating with a scammer?

Sample answerA big warning sign is if the person tries to communicate with you through private messages on social media or by text.

4

Vocabulary

These expressions will help you communicate more naturally about this topic.

Examples

To fall for something — to be tricked into believing something that is not true.

Usage note: This is an informal phrasal verb. We often say someone 'falls for a scam' or 'falls for a trick'.

Too good to be true — an offer or deal that is so attractive that you should be suspicious.

Usage note: Use this common idiom to express doubt. For example, 'A free flight to Paris? It sounds too good to be true.'

A legitimate website — a real and official website for a company, not a fake one.

Usage note: 'Legitimate' is the opposite of 'fake' or 'scam'. You can use it to ask for confirmation: 'Are you sure this is a legitimate website?'

To double-check something — to check something again to be absolutely sure it is correct.

Usage note: This is a very common phrase for giving advice. You can double-check details, a price, or a URL before you click.

A red flag — a sign or warning that something might be wrong, dangerous, or dishonest.

Usage note: This idiom is very common. For example, 'The website had many spelling mistakes, which was a big red flag for me.'

5

Decide if each statement is true or false. Correct the false ones.

01The video warns that some ads on search engines show fake customer service numbers for airlines.

02The video says that trips booked through third-party websites are always refundable.

03In 2024, people lost over $270 million to travel scams.

04The expert, Yvonne Caron, works for a company called Brand Guard.

05According to the video, the average amount of money a person lost to a travel scam was almost $1,000.

6

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank

01Before entering your credit card details, make sure the travel website is and not a fake copy.

02That email offering a free luxury holiday sounds like a ; you should probably delete it.

03It's always a good idea to your booking details, like the dates and your name, before you pay.

04Being asked to pay for a hotel room with a bank transfer instead of a credit card is a big .

05I had to pay a fee for the of my flight because I changed my plans at the last minute.

7

Choose the best answer based on what you heard in the video.

01What advice does the video give about booking through a third-party travel website?

02According to the video, scammers often target people with fake customer service numbers when they are...

03Before paying for any kind of travel, what does the video recommend you should always do?

04Which of the following pieces of advice is NOT mentioned in the video?

8

Key vocabulary for staying safe online

Learn these words to help you avoid travel scams when booking online.

Match each term on the left with its correct definition on the right.

Drag or click to match

Definitions

9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

In your country, what are the most common types of online scams (not just for travel)? What are the biggest 'red flags' that people should look out for?
The video suggests it's the traveler's responsibility to double-check everything. Do you agree, or should social media and search engine companies do more to protect people from fake ads and illegitimate websites?
Imagine a friend finds a holiday package that seems 'too good to be true'. What specific advice would you give them to make sure they don't fall for a scam before booking?