The internet has a lot to answer for. While both consumers and brands have the world at their fingertips thanks to the internet, so do cyber criminals. Whether they are selling counterfeit goods, executing phishing attacks or perpetuating online fraud, the internet has made life a little easier for these criminals. As a result, brands need to work harder to keep their reputation and customers safe online.
In the travel and hospitality sector brand protection is especially important given the starring role that online booking and review sites now play in the lives of today’s travelers. In 2018, nearly half of all global travel was booked online, directly through brand websites, aggregator sites and even social media. And with the holidays rapidly approaching, the threat to brands and consumers is high.
Fraudsters can use any number of tactics to take advantage of consumers; brand impersonation, phishing (with the aim of stealing credentials or payment card details), and redirecting legitimate brand traffic to fraudulent sites. While the aims of these tactics vary — stealing data or money, brand abuse or taking revenue, the impact can be devasting. Whatever the objective, online fraud diminishes consumer and market trust, and ultimately damages the bottom line.
While the threat is serious, it is not a losing battle for brands or consumers. Consumers need to be aware of the dangers and vigilant when it comes to any kind of online activity. Organizations needs a comprehensive brand protection strategy that encompasses all elements of the online experience, and augments overall protection efforts. It also needs to focus on the areas where consumers are most at risk, in effect identifying the most blatant offenders or perpetrators of brand abuse.
This consumer-centric approach to brand protection is the focus of our upcoming webinar: Leveraging Online Brand Protection for the Travel and Hospitality Industry: Don’t Let Imposters Ruin Your Company’s Reputation, taking place on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 11:00 EST.
Register now for this webinar to learn how we can help travel and hospitality companies be more profitable by implementing savvy internet security solutions.