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When you need to track down a customer service number, the easiest thing to do is Google it. But easy isn’t necessarily safe when it comes to the Google business listings that appear in search results.
The Points Guy reports that scammers recently claimed a local business listing on Google for Delta’s customer service department at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. When a traveler called to rebook a canceled trip using the number listed, they reached a fake agent who—after a series of sketchy requests—ultimately tried to get them to give up their credit card information.
It turns out scammers had also submitted fraudulent numbers for both American Airlines and Southwest Airlines customer service lines at JFK. This scam probably isn’t limited to airlines, either: Google flagged 20 million attempts to create fake business profiles in 2022.
How to find legit customer service information
Sniffing out customer service scams may be especially important for communication with companies that could collect sensitive information like credit card numbers, including airlines, financial institutions, and e-commerce brands.
The best way to ensure you’re speaking to a legitimate customer service representative is to contact companies through their official channels. Go directly to the company’s website and look for a contact page or help center page to find customer service phone numbers (and use these hacks to get a real person on the line). Type the number directly into your phone rather than clicking a link to call.
Some companies may also have a built-in live chat feature or text option as well as links to social media direct messaging on their contact or help pages.
Of course, scammers are also creating fraudulent versions of websites for reputable companies, so look out for red flags that you’re not where you think you are. Use caution when clicking on a company website from your Google search results—type the web address in directly instead.
If you need to reach airline customer service or your financial institution, you can also check the back of your credit card for a customer service number.
