He thought he was calling Air Canada. The airline says it wasn’t them
A shocking incident occurred to a man from Stellarton, N.S., when he discovered that his $2,000 non-refundable airline ticket to Texas had been cancelled without his knowledge. Jeff Richardson was left perplexed and frustrated when he reached out to Air Canada for an explanation, only to be told that the cancellation had been done online and that they were unable to offer a refund as per the fare rules of his ticket.
Living paycheque to paycheque, Richardson emphasized the significance of every dollar, especially when $2,000 is at stake. After a prolonged period of back and forth communication with Air Canada, Richardson finally received confirmation this week that he would be refunded for his ticket. While relieved to hear the news, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the lengthy delay in resolving the issue.
The ordeal began when Richardson booked his flight directly through the Air Canada website on October 22. Facing difficulties in selecting his seat online, he sought assistance by calling a number he believed to be affiliated with Air Canada. However, the airline clarified that the number did not belong to them, indicating a potential scam.
Soon after providing his booking details and credit card information to reserve seats, Richardson noticed a charge of over $200 on his credit card from an entity called “AirReservation,” which had no association with Air Canada. Subsequently, he received notification that his ticket had been cancelled. Upon attempting to contact the number he initially dialed, Richardson found the line to be constantly busy.
Air Canada acknowledged the possibility that the fraudster posing as the airline could have acquired enough personal information to cancel the flight. In response, they committed to refunding Richardson and ensuring he pays the original price for a replacement ticket. This incident serves as a cautionary tale, underscoring the importance of verifying the legitimacy of online or telephone transactions and relying solely on certified and official sources of information.
Upon investigation, Richardson requested Air Canada to disclose the IP address linked to the device used for cancelling his booking. The records indicated that the IP address originated from India. However, cybersecurity expert Nur Zincir-Heywood noted that IP addresses can be spoofed, making it challenging to pinpoint the actual location of scammers.
Despite the harrowing experience, Richardson proceeded to book another flight and attended his work conference in Texas in November. Moving forward, he vows to exercise caution by ensuring he only interacts with legitimate websites and contact information. Gábor Lukács, founder of Air Passenger Rights, emphasized the need for airlines like Air Canada to implement measures to combat fraudulent activities, such as implementing a two-factor verification system for ticket modifications to enhance passenger security.
