Customers of British Airways have been advised to be on the alert for e-mails purporting to come from the airline, containing the claim that their ticket has not been activated, Hoax Slayer reports.
The e-mail is not genuine and the scammers are relying on people who have booked a flight and are therefore more likely to not only open the message, but also install the attached file on their computer.
Once the user opens the email, they will read that their flight ticket number hasn’t been activated and will be asked to activate it by downloading the attachment and filling out a form. If the user chooses not to do so, he or she will be presented another option – to cancel the flight and apply for a refund, which again sends the user to a form where the user should “confirm” billing information.
The attachment is actually a .zip or .exe file which, if opened, installs malware software that steals sensitive information from the computer. The malware collects passwords or other personal data and sends it to cybercriminals. The malicious software can download and install another piece of malware, which enables scammers to remotely control the computer.
In the past, there have been similar campaigns exploiting other airlines, such as American Airlines, Delta Airlines and Qantas.
Remember, such emails are not genuine, as very few large companies ask for sensitive, personal information online. Users should not click on any links within the e-mail, or download any attachments – Hoax Slayer advises users to simply delete the message.