Scammers Use Venmo To 'Deceive and Defraud Customers' On Flights

An anonymous reader quotes a report from SFGATE: The same morning that JetBlue Airways announced that it was the first airline partnering with Venmo to begin accepting payments for booking flights, an account on the popular payment platform was already raking in money. A Venmo user named Owen Miller paid the JetBlue Checkpoint Store for a drink on Wednesday morning, which is a typical transaction between a traveler and airline, except for the fact that JetBlue doesn't operate that account. "At this time, JetBlue does not accept Venmo payment for inflight purchases such as food and beverages," a representative for the airline told SFGATE in an email. "Unfortunately, we have seen accounts falsely representing themselves as JetBlue to deceive and defraud customers." To stay safe from scammers when booking JetBlue flights with Venmo, the airline recommends customers only use verified JetBlue channels, such as their official website or app, and follow their secure payment process using the provided QR code. JetBlue said it plans to fold Venmo payments into its mobile app later this year.

Pay with a credit card

[Ed Tice]

Everybody outside of JetBlue (and I guess Venmo which seems to be complicit in fraud) would suggest that you buy your airline tickets with a credit card. If your finances are in such shambles that you don't have a credit card, instead of taking that trip, save the money for an emergency.

Re:

[Firethorn]

What if the trip is the emergency?
Like going to a parent's funeral?

Secure?

[usedtobestine]

How does one go about creating a "secure" QR code?

Re: Secure?

[reanjr]

By using it to link to a payment portal. Of you trust the originator of the QR code (e.g., the JetBlue website or an agent of JetBlue), then then QR code just takes you to a TLS site where you make payment.