Travelling, especially to international destinations, should be a fun and eye-opening experience.

However, inconveniences during holidays could be a cause of stress—especially if it involves getting scammed.

Unfortunately, a Qantas passenger encountered a costly mistake, which serves as a cautionary tale for jetsetters.


Seasoned traveller Paul Stewart was eager to return home to Sydney after staying in Los Angeles.

While waiting for his flight, he received a text message from Qantas informing him of a flight cancellation.

In a rush to sort out his travel plans, he dialled the 1800 number provided by the Qantas text message for 'immediate assistance'.

However, instead of connecting with the airline's customer service, he found himself on the line with scammers.


'The text message was from a Qantas number. There were previous Qantas text messages ahead of it,' Stewart explained.

The scammers, who posed as Qantas representatives, convinced him to pay a fee to change his flight to the next day.

They sounded knowledgeable and provided what seemed like legitimate details about his booking, which convinced Stewart to rebook his flight with a $600 fee.

After some reflection and a subsequent call to Qantas, Stewart realised he had been duped.

The airline confirmed they do not charge fees for flight changes, and there was no record of his earlier conversation.

This realisation humbled Stewart, who considers himself tech-savvy.


Calling foreign numbers without the correct area code could direct it to a different recipient.

In Stewart's case, scammers who had hijacked the number got his call.

Stewart urged Qantas to change their communication protocols to prevent others from making the same mistake.

'I don't think I was especially reckless. So I think it's an easy thing to do,' he shared.

'Qantas needs to change the text, even if they just add the area code in front of the number.'

After this unfortunate event, Stewart managed to get his money back by simply calling the scammers and asking for a refund.

'Maybe they think they were onto a good thing, and they don't want me to complain,' Stewart shared.

'Maybe they just think I'll go away quietly.'


Qantas reported the scam to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

They've also updated their customer communications to highlight the potential risk.

This incident is a reminder for those travelling abroad anytime soon.

Moreover, it's crucial to be aware of the signs of a scam.

Scammers often rely on a sense of urgency to pressure their victims into making hasty decisions.

Stay vigilant when it comes to customer support services while abroad.

If in doubt, use alternative methods such as email or a secure messaging service on the company's official website.
Have you ever encountered a similar situation while travelling? How do you protect yourself from potential scams when you're in a foreign country? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.