Israeli Cybersecurity Firm Warns of Surge in Fake Travel Websites Targeting Israelis

Israeli cybersecurity company BrandShield has reported a sharp increase in impersonation attempts targeting well-known travel brands such as Delta Airlines, Hilton Hotels, and El Al Airlines amid the current holiday season. According to BrandShield's data, the number of domains related to Delta rose from 1,421 in August 2025 to 2,517 in July 2026, marking a 77% increase. Hilton saw an even steeper rise, with domains increasing from 156 to 347, a 122% jump. El Al-related domains grew by approximately 19% in just three months, from 892 in April 2026 to 1,059 in July.

BrandShield cautions that not every domain containing a brand name is fraudulent, but the proliferation of such domains raises the risk of phishing and impersonation websites. Scammers also exploit social media platforms; one reported case involved a fake El Al representative contacting a user privately on Facebook after the user complained about a service issue, attempting to exploit the user's expectation of a customer service response.

These scams typically use websites that closely mimic the original, replicating logos, colors, and design. Differences are often subtle, such as a single letter change in the URL, a hyphen, a different domain extension, or added words like "booking" or "tickets." BrandShield advises consumers to access airline and hotel websites only through official URLs or apps, avoid clicking links sent via SMS, WhatsApp, or private messages, and carefully verify website addresses before entering personal or credit card information.