Scammers move in to target unhappy easyJet passengers after mass summer flight cancellations

Scammers are setting up social media accounts impersonating easyJet to try to cash in on unhappy passengers whose flights have been cancelled.

At least 180,000 easyJet passengers have had their holiday flights cancelled after the airline culled 1,700 summer departures to and from London Gatwick. The aim is to stabilise schedules.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in recent weeks at the Sussex airport, which easyJet blames on air traffic control delays.

Disappointed passengers who seek help online risk being taken in by fraudsters.

For at least a year, criminals have been trying to defraud airline passengers by intercepting social media posts. They typically ask customers to send a direct message with their mobile phone number.

The subsequent conversation may involve demands for a bank transfer in order to change flights – or seek account details in an attempt to steal funds.

One easyJet passenger, Angela Collier, was fooled by scammers after her easyJet flights were cancelled and she sought a refund.

She said: “It’s a very professional scamming racket going on. When easyJet don’t give clear or concise guidelines when they cancel hundreds of flights, and it’s impossible to speak to anyone at easyJet, it makes the scammers’ job an easy one – especially as it’s a very stressful situation with a cancelled flight.

“Scammers told me the refund system was down and they were refunding via WorldRemit.”

WorldRemit is a legitimate international money transfer organisation.

Ms Collier passed on her bank details expecting funds to be credited. Instead, the scammers tried to debit her bank account to the tune of £1,400.

“Fortunately my bank, HSBC, rejected the charges. It was a very stressful situation, though, on top of a cancelled holiday.”

An easyJet spokesperson said: “We advise customers to only follow and engage with our sole official Twitter channel, @easyJet, which is identifiable by the gold verification badge for official businesses, for the latest updates or to seek support as well as to be vigilant and not engage with or click on any links from other accounts.”

The Independent has asked Twitter to shut down around a dozen fake easyJet accounts – with the last one, @easyJet__1, still functioning on Tuesday afternoon. It was set up only this month and claims: “This is our only Twitter account.”

Many…