During the holiday season, fraudsters often target data, anticipating it to go unnoticed while you focus on festivities. Before you gather with family and friends this holiday season, take a moment to secure your travel agency systems.
As agents, you are responsible for managing your company’s risk and may be responsible for financial losses resulting from fraud. We are here to support your efforts and share potential exposure to fraudulent activity and actionable tips to help minimize losses.
Implement Ticketing Shut-Off Functionality
Activate ticketing shut-off functionality during non-working hours. Fraudsters won’t be able to access your valuable ticketing ability and generate fraudulent tickets.
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Sabre users: The "Ticket Safe" program in the Sabre Red App Centre is a helpful tool.
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Amadeus users: Use the "Application Access Time Limitations" feature to inhibit ticketing.
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Travelport users: Contact your Travelport account representative promptly to ensure you’re protected.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA ensures you’re the only user able to access your system. Without it, a fraudster with your password can get into your account.
Reach out to your GDS provider now and ask them to implement multi-factor authentication for you. Without this additional layer of security, your agency is left exposed.
Create Urgent Staff Awareness
Your agency's defenders must be armed with knowledge. Ensure all staff, contractors and external agents with ticket-issuing capabilities know the lurking danger posed by phishing emails. The stakes are high, and ignorance could lead to headaches for your agency.
Check out our fraud prevention resources and watch our recent fraud awareness webinar: 2023 Schemes & 2024 Readiness.
Ensure Awareness Around Email Security
GDS providers will never ask agents to log in to their systems through a link in an email. When you click on a phishing email link, you give your login credentials directly to a fraudster. Always log in to your GDS through bookmarks in your browser, not through unsafe links in emails. If you’ve already clicked on an email link, ensure you reset your credentials right away and alert your GDS and ARC.
Know ARC is Here to Support
When it comes to fraud, ignorance is not bliss, it's a vulnerability. Arm yourself with information on unauthorized ticketing and other fraud schemes targeting our community. Your agency's valuable resources hinge on staying informed. Visit the ARC website for fraud prevention information, and learn about noteworthy ARA changes for 2024 and review ARC’s cybersecurity guide.
Alert ARC of fraud incidents at StopFraud@arccorp.com or call us urgently at 855-358-0393.
Safeguarding your agency is not just a duty; it is a necessity. From all of us at ARC, we wish you a secure and joyful holiday season.