Mum loses $5,000 after flight booking mistake others still make today
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We all know that booking flights can be a stressful experience, especially when you’re juggling family needs, special accommodations, and the ever-present fear of making a costly mistake.
But for one mum, a simple misstep while trying to do the right thing for her family ended up costing her a staggering $5,250.
Her story is a cautionary tale for all of us, and it’s a timely reminder to stay vigilant in the digital age.
Haylee, a mum from the US, was planning a big family cruise and needed to fly with American Airlines.
Like many of us, she wanted to make sure her daughter and niece—both on the autism spectrum—would have the support they needed during the flight.
So, she did what any caring parent would do: she tried to call the airline to ask about special accommodations.
But here’s where things went wrong. Haylee Googled the American Airlines customer service number and, without a second thought, clicked on the first result that popped up.
Unbeknownst to her, she’d landed on a scam website that had cleverly disguised itself as the real deal.
On the other end of the line, a smooth-talking scammer asked for her flight confirmation numbers.
He rattled off her booking details and even quoted the last four digits of the credit cards used—details that made the call seem legitimate.
With 11 family members travelling, Haylee was relieved to be speaking to someone who seemed to know their stuff.
Then came the 'deal': $150 off per ticket, priority boarding, and seats at the front of the plane.
All she had to do was allow the agent to 'refund' the original charges and recharge a single card for the new, discounted amount.
The catch is that the refund would take up to 45 business days—a classic red flag, but one that’s easy to miss when you’re distracted or stressed.
Haylee handed over her credit card details, but the scammer claimed there was an issue and asked for another card.
Before she knew it, more than $5,000 had been charged, and she received a dodgy-looking email from a company she’d never heard of—FlightTrip.
Realising something was off, Haylee checked her flights through the official American Airlines app.
To her surprise, the bookings were still intact. She quickly contacted the real airline, who were horrified by her story and advised her to dispute the charges immediately.
Both she and her husband locked their cards and began the process of trying to recover their money.
American Airlines went above and beyond to help, locking down the family’s tickets and adding password protection to prevent any further tampering.
But the emotional toll—and the hassle—was significant.
Unfortunately, Haylee’s experience isn’t unique. Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, creating fake websites and phone numbers that appear at the top of search engine results.
They prey on people who are in a hurry, distracted, or simply unfamiliar with the process.
Airline fraud departments report a surge in these types of scams, with countless travellers falling victim every year.
And it’s not just airlines—similar tactics are used for everything from tech support to utility companies.
It’s easy to feel embarrassed or frustrated if you get caught out by a scam, but remember: these criminals are experts at what they do.
The best thing you can do is learn from the experience, share your story, and help others avoid the same fate.
Have you or someone you know ever been caught out by a travel scam? What steps do you take to protect yourself when booking flights or holidays online? Share your tips and stories in the comments below.
Read more: You won’t believe what happened when a passenger was forced to sit next to someone she called ‘too fat’—her shocking meltdown caught on camera!
But for one mum, a simple misstep while trying to do the right thing for her family ended up costing her a staggering $5,250.
Her story is a cautionary tale for all of us, and it’s a timely reminder to stay vigilant in the digital age.
Haylee, a mum from the US, was planning a big family cruise and needed to fly with American Airlines.
Like many of us, she wanted to make sure her daughter and niece—both on the autism spectrum—would have the support they needed during the flight.
A mum was scammed out of $5,250 after a fake customer service number was called instead of the official airline contact. Credit: santirf / iStock
So, she did what any caring parent would do: she tried to call the airline to ask about special accommodations.
But here’s where things went wrong. Haylee Googled the American Airlines customer service number and, without a second thought, clicked on the first result that popped up.
Unbeknownst to her, she’d landed on a scam website that had cleverly disguised itself as the real deal.
On the other end of the line, a smooth-talking scammer asked for her flight confirmation numbers.
He rattled off her booking details and even quoted the last four digits of the credit cards used—details that made the call seem legitimate.
With 11 family members travelling, Haylee was relieved to be speaking to someone who seemed to know their stuff.
Then came the 'deal': $150 off per ticket, priority boarding, and seats at the front of the plane.
All she had to do was allow the agent to 'refund' the original charges and recharge a single card for the new, discounted amount.
The catch is that the refund would take up to 45 business days—a classic red flag, but one that’s easy to miss when you’re distracted or stressed.
Haylee handed over her credit card details, but the scammer claimed there was an issue and asked for another card.
Before she knew it, more than $5,000 had been charged, and she received a dodgy-looking email from a company she’d never heard of—FlightTrip.
Realising something was off, Haylee checked her flights through the official American Airlines app.
To her surprise, the bookings were still intact. She quickly contacted the real airline, who were horrified by her story and advised her to dispute the charges immediately.
Both she and her husband locked their cards and began the process of trying to recover their money.
American Airlines went above and beyond to help, locking down the family’s tickets and adding password protection to prevent any further tampering.
But the emotional toll—and the hassle—was significant.
Unfortunately, Haylee’s experience isn’t unique. Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, creating fake websites and phone numbers that appear at the top of search engine results.
They prey on people who are in a hurry, distracted, or simply unfamiliar with the process.
Airline fraud departments report a surge in these types of scams, with countless travellers falling victim every year.
And it’s not just airlines—similar tactics are used for everything from tech support to utility companies.
The best thing you can do is learn from the experience, share your story, and help others avoid the same fate.
Read more: You won’t believe what happened when a passenger was forced to sit next to someone she called ‘too fat’—her shocking meltdown caught on camera!
