Stay alert this Black Friday to avoid travel scams

South Africans are gearing up for Black Friday travel deals, but FlySafair is urging travellers to stay alert. The rush to secure discounts makes this one of the most active periods for cybercriminals.

The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) recorded more than 100 000 cyberattacks in 2024. Losses reached about R1.8 billion, an 86% rise from the previous year.

“Black Friday’s pace creates the perfect environment for fraud,” says Kirby Gordon, chief marketing officer at FlySafair. “When people feel rushed, they check less.”

Why Black Friday is high-risk

Fraud attempts spike during major retail events. Shoppers often browse new platforms, compare deals at speed and lower their guard. Criminals use this behaviour to slip fake offers into search results, inboxes and social media feeds.

New scam tactics to watch for

Scammers are using advanced tools to appear legitimate. Current tactics include:

• AI-generated deepfakes posing as customer service reps
• Clone websites designed to look identical to real airline sites
• QR-code phishing and SMS links that redirect to malicious pages

Fake social media profiles remain one of the most significant problems. These pages often impersonate FlySafair and promote impossible deals such as “unlimited flights for under R100” to capture personal and card details.

“If a price seems implausible, verify it,” Gordon says. “Visit flysafair.co.za or check our verified pages: @FlySafair on Facebook and X, and @flysafairza on Instagram.”

AI impersonation is rising

Artificial intelligence is helping scammers produce convincing emails, voice notes and even videos. These often appear during peak email load, blending in with genuine Black Friday messages.

Travellers should check all senders and URLs with care. The correct website is flysafair.co.za. Any extra letters or unusual domain endings are a red flag.

Protect your Passenger Name Record

Fraudsters often request a Passenger Name Record (PNR) under the guise of “confirming” a booking.

“We never request PNRs through unsolicited messages,” Gordon says. “If something feels off, speak to us directly.”

Social media scams on the rise

Criminals use unverified influencer pages and sponsored posts to redirect users to fake booking sites. Cheap flight offers remain an effective bait.

Your Black Friday travel safety checklist

1. Ensure you are using flysafair.co.za.
2. Confirm social pages have blue verification ticks.
3. Question unreal prices.
4. Never share your PNR.
5. Only enter payment details on HTTPS-secure pages.
6. Report suspicious activity.
7. Slow down before approving any booking.

Travellers can verify any FlySafair promotion or message on the airline’s official website.