A small mistake on social media reportedly cost a family $15,000 on a cruise that was canceled due to... a hacker!
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In a series of TikTok videos that have gone viral, Tiffany Banks told her viewers that she received an unexpected email from Carnival Cruises on the day her family was scheduled to sail to the company's port in Miami, Florida, saying her reservation had been canceled, causing her to panic.
"We've been planning this vacation for a year," Banks told viewers, noting that she had booked the Excel presidential suite, which is the largest the company offers. "We had all kinds of extra perks, we were so excited."
After speaking with many company representatives, Banks discovered that her cruise had been cancelled, despite the fact that she repeatedly told the representatives that she herself had not cancelled it. Banks claims that she was offered two interior rooms as a replacement, but not the suite she had booked and not a full refund.
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Banks said she and her family, including the children, went to port anyway, but were denied boarding the vessel after they rejected the interior rooms they were offered.
In a follow-up video, Banks said she received a call from Carnival days later, which confirmed that the company believed her cruise reservation had been hacked and that she was the victim of identity theft.
It turns out that Banks had posted a photo on Facebook weeks earlier with her confirmation number, which led a malicious actor (detected in Canada) to see it, create a fake profile, add the family's reservation to his online account, and cancel the original.
“ Unfortunately, this passenger did not heed well-documented and very common safety travel and security advice ,” a Carnival spokesperson told PEOPLE . “ It is never a good idea to post personal information about your travel plans, including a confirmation number for a reservation, which could allow a malicious actor or identity thief to use that information in inappropriate or even illegal ways. ”
Banks claims Carnival offered her $10,000 for a future cruise if she posted on social media that a solution had been found, but she refused.
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In today’s digital age, protecting ourselves on social media is becoming increasingly important. Users should implement strong and unique passwords for each platform and enable two-factor authentication where possible. Another key aspect is to be careful about the information you share, as oversharing can lead to privacy breaches and identity theft, as in the case of the family who lost their cruise due to the hacker. Regularly checking your privacy settings and installing the latest security updates can help protect personal data. In addition, it is essential to be careful with phishing scams and suspicious links to avoid falling victim to cyberattacks.
Source: entrepreneur
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