National Bank of Kuwait warns against fake travel & booking websites as the holiday season approaches

KUWAIT CITY, June 11: With higher travel rates during the summer season, National Bank of Kuwait warns its customers and the public against scams associated with fake travel and online booking sites, as part of its ongoing support for the banking awareness campaign “Let’s Be Aware,” launched by the Central Bank of Kuwait in collaboration with Kuwaiti banks and the Kuwait Banking Association to spread financial literacy in society and enhance customer awareness from various segments.

This warning comes amid growing digital fraud targeting online users, especially during peak travel booking periods, where scammers exploit customers’ eagerness and desire to take advantage of quick promotional offers by creating fake websites that closely mimic the websites of airlines, hotels, and global booking platforms, making it difficult for users to distinguish them from the original sites.

These sites are often promoted through attractive advertisements on social media or misleading emails that include offers at exaggeratedly low prices, with the aim of tempting victims and pushing them to complete bookings without sufficiently verifying the credibility of the service provider. NBK noted that fraud begins when a user enters these websites and completes a payment process after being asked to enter card details or personal information. In some cases, the victim receives a seemingly official booking confirmation message, only to later discover that no actual booking exists, or that their financial data has been misused for unauthorized purposes. Moreover, the Bank emphasized the importance of verifying the credibility of websites before making any bookings or payments, pointing out that several indicators can suggest a website is untrustworthy, such as spelling errors in the website address, the use of domains similar to real websites, the absence of the secure protocol (https), or the presence of incomplete pages and broken links within the site.

Additionally, NBK indicated that enticing offers are among the most prominent signs of fraud, as scammers exploit users’ desire for low prices to persuade them to complete bookings quickly without verification, thus increasing the likelihood of falling victim to fraud. In this light, the Bank urged customers to follow several preventative guidelines, most importantly making bookings only through official websites or well-known platforms, avoiding clicking on links from untrusted sources, using credit cards which offer better protection against fraud, and avoiding unsafe payment methods such as direct money transfers, cryptocurrencies, or gift cards. Finally, NBK stressed that public awareness is the first line of defense against cybercrime, calling for the importance of not sharing personal or banking information with any untrusted entity and immediately contacting the Bank in case of any suspicious activity to take the necessary protective measures. NBK’s efforts to combat fraud and raise customer awareness are a fundamental and deeply rooted pillar of its strategy.

The bank consistently publishes awareness materials across all its digital channels and social media platforms, which enjoy the largest following among Kuwaiti banks, and it utilizes its extensive resources to promote financial literacy among the widest possible segment of the public. It is worth noting that NBK is a supporter and key partner of all the campaigns and initiatives of CBK that aim to raise the level of financial awareness and spread banking awareness in society. As the largest financial institution in Kuwait and the region, NBK has consistently organized various events that contribute to raising community awareness within the banking sector. It also organizes many training courses for its employees to enhance their expertise in combating fraud and financial crimes.