13% of Brazilians have already suffered some online scam while traveling, survey reveals

France, and specifically Paris, its capital, has been a popular destination for many tourists recently due to the celebration of the Olympics. Unfortunately, the festivities and attractions are not the only things to be found there; in large events and cities, where the flow of people is usually massive, there are also many dangers.

We have all heard about pickpockets and scammers that abound in the old continent, but the reality is that there are several threats to which tourists are exposed and that perhaps are not so considered, such as the theft of personal data through the use of public networks or online scams when booking tours, accommodation or any other tourist service.

This isn’t unique to destinations like Paris and the Olympic Games; in general, you can be exposed to these types of crimes and cybercrimes anywhere. In fact, a recent survey conducted in Brazil by Norton, Gen’s cybersecurity brand, revealed that 13% of respondents said they had been scammed online while travelingwhich represented an average loss of almost R$ 17,000.00 (R$ 17,377.71). The same research showed that 34% of Brazilian consumers used ChatGPT to help them plan a trip, and in total, 12% of these consumers said they had been directed to a malicious website by Artificial Intelligence (AI) when asking for recommendations.

Given the latent dangers to which users are exposed while traveling, Norton offers some recommendations to avoid unforeseen events:

Scams on reservations:

Book directly with the hotel company or use booking platforms from trusted travel service providers. AI can be a great support tool, but it is always important to verify the information.

Public Wi-Fi networks:

Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to help keep your information private. A VPN acts as a filter that turns all of your data into gibberish, so that if someone were to gain access to it, it would be useless. A VPN can be accessed through a variety of software providers, which offer this service for both mobile devices and computers.

ATM Skimmers:

Use ATMs inside banks and cover your hand when entering your PIN.

Trust your instincts:

Most importantly, if something feels off, it probably is. Trust your instincts.