TIPS FOR SECURING
FREQUENT FLIER MILES

Recent reports have exposed a new disturbing trend for online scammers: hackers are now
targeting vulnerable travelers’ frequent flier miles.
As the Wall Street Journal and the Today Show report, thieves are stealing miles and points andturning them into cash, gaining access to unsuspecting fliers’ accounts and trading in theirhard-earned miles for cash, gifts cards, merchandise or whatever points can buy online.
With the busy holiday travel season fast approaching, these cybercriminals are undoubtedly
getting ready to cash in, but with these simple steps from the National Cyber Security Alliance,
consumers can fly easy knowing their miles and frequent flier accounts are safer and more secure.
DONT FORGET TO CHECK IN

Monitor your account periodically for any unusual activity, especially if you travel infrequently.

MAKE BETTER, UNIQUE PASSWORDS
A strong password is a sentence that is at least 12 characters long. Focus on positive
sentences or phrases that you like to think about and are easy to remember. Passwords forcritical accounts should be unique.
ENABLE STRONGER AUTHENTICATIONUse the strongest account security available on your frequent flier accounts. Some accounts offer abackup verification option commonly known as two-step verification or multi-factor authentication.
Two-step authentication, for example, requires a second step, such as a text message to a phone or
the swipe of a finger to be used in addition to a password to log in to an account.

WHEN IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT

Links in email, tweets, posts and online advertising are often how cybercriminals try to steal yourpersonal information. Even if you know the source, if something looks suspicious, delete it. Airlines
are big brands, and cybercriminals know many people have frequent flier accounts, so “phishing”
tricks such as sending out email spoofing an airline will surely reach some real customers.

TRANSFER GOOD SECURITY PRACTICESThere are a lot of connections between travel accounts benefits, like miles earned or credits withother travel partners such as hotels, car rental companies and theme parks. Make sure you haveunique logins, and if you feel any of those accounts have been compromised take steps to protect
other accounts, such as changing your passwords.

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TIPS FOR SECURING
FREQUENT FLIER MILESBE SMART ON PUBLIC WI-FI

Be cautious when accessing accounts via free, unsecured Wi-Fi at airports, hotel lobbies andanywhere while traveling. Use an app or browse using your mobile connection if no secure options
are available.

DONT SHARE YOUR BOARDING PASSES

Avoid sharing pictures of boarding passes on social media and dispose of them securely. Boarding
passes, depending on airline, can contain a lot of private information in the barcode, such as your full
name, destination, flight record number and your frequent flyer number, which in some cases is usedas your account login.

KEEP LOYALTY APPS UP TO DATE

If you have installed a loyalty app, always install new updates as they become available; they often
have security patches in addition to new functionality.

PROTECT YOUR MOBILE DEVICEHaving a strong passcode or using a finger wipe adds protection if your device is ever lost or stolen.

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