Christian F. made a critical but common error while booking a round-trip business-class flight to Paris for his wife. After asking Google for United Airlines customer service, he called the first number that popped up in the search results. Instead of reaching the airline, he dialed right into a scam call center where a fake UA agent was waiting. That fraudster easily booked the ticket and charged the unaware Christian a whopping $1,750 service fee for her efforts.
Days later, Christian realized something had gone wrong. When he looked at his American Express statement, he saw the expected $5,610 United Airlines charge. But under that fee was an additional $1,750 charge labeled “Travel Purchase.”
Using the United Airlines customer service number he’d previously used, Christian reached the same agent. He immediately observed peculiarities he hadn’t noticed before. That person didn’t identify the airline and was vague about who she represented. When Christian asked directly, she clarified that he’d reached a “reservation center.”
Suddenly, it was clear to Christian that Google had misdirected him. He was sure now that the person who had booked his wife’s flight wasn’t affiliated with United Airlines at all. Christian demanded that the fake agent refund his credit card immediately, voiding the unearned exorbitant service fee. She readily agreed, on condition that Christian not file a credit card dispute for the transaction. Feeling frustrated but not wanting to put his wife’s flight in jeopardy, he reluctantly agreed.
Then Christian waited… and waited.
Predictably, the scam call center didn’t process the refund, so Christian returned to Google to look for help. This time, his search led him straight to our advocacy team at Consumer Rescue.
He had two problems he hoped we could tackle:
- Get that exorbitant service fee the fake United Airlines customer service agent charged refunded
- Extricate his wife’s reservation from the scam call center’s grasp
Can we do it? Let’s find out! (You won’t believe the chutzpah of these scammers — right up to the end.)

Tricked into booking a flight with fake United Airlines
It should have been a simple booking process.
When Christian sat down at his desk, ready to purchase his wife’s flight to Paris, he already had the specific dates, airports, and class of service in mind. He wanted a fully refundable business class ticket round-trip from San Francisco to Paris in United Airlines Polaris seats.
All he needed was the best phone number for United Airlines.
“I wanted to talk to a person at United, and I googled United Airlines Business Class Customer Service,” Christian told me. “I called the number listed as United Business Class Customer Service, and a live person sold me a ticket for $7,360.”
Initially, Christian thought he’d snagged a decent deal for the fully refundable itinerary. But he would soon find out that the cost of that airline ticket was actually heavily inflated. The scammer, posing as a United Airlines agent, had booked him a nonrefundable ticket, pocketing $1,750 for her incompetence.
It would be a few days before the full picture of what happened would come into focus. But the first clue came when Christian noticed the two separate charges for the ticket. At first glance, both charges appeared to be coming from United Airlines. But on closer look, the second fee had the words Travel Purchase in the merchant field.
Looking more closely at the confirmation email that he’d received just after the ticket purchase, Christian noticed something else unusual. That email didn’t come from United Airlines. It was coming from something called “TravoCart.” Not sure of what any of this meant, Christian again called the number Google had offered for United Airlines customer service.
The rest, as they say, is history – and soon Christian was asking Consumer Rescue for help unraveling this mess.
The plague of fake airline customer service center scammers
When Christian’s request for help hit our hotline, it was unfortunately just another in a string of complaints about scam call centers. In the past two years, the proliferation of fake customer service centers appearing in Google search results for airlines, booking agents, cruise lines, and more has been impossible to ignore. In an effort to warn consumers about the presence of these predatory operations on the internet, I’ve written cautionary columns for Fodor’s Travel, Consumer Rescue, and The Points Guy.
But the victims of those scam call centers continue to pour into our inbox.
As I read through Christian’s paper trail, I hoped that we could head these crooks off at the pass. First, I wanted to confirm who was behind this scam call center posing as United Airlines customer service.
The answer to that question was in the email address attached to the original flight confirmation. That receipt should have come from United Airlines. But it didn’t. The address line showed a company called TravoCart.
TravoCart, according to Google, is a travel agency based in New Delhi, India. However, the alert from American Express indicated that Travel Purchase had charged Christian’s credit card. Travel Purchase claims to have a physical address in St. George, Utah, which I looked up on Google Maps.
That address turned out to be an affordable housing project that was not associated with any businesses. The website for TravoCart returned an error message from Google that it could not be found.
Curiously, the summary of TravoCart in the search results showed many 5-star Google reviews, which appeared fabricated.
I called the number that Christian had used, and a man answered and said, “Reservations.”
When I asked what kind of reservations, he hesitated and then said “car rental” – obviously unsure of where I had found the phone number. FYI: These crooks often have multiple scripts in front of their faces as they try to convince their victims of their official capacity with various companies.
Having seen and heard enough about “TravoCart” or “Travel Purchase” it was time to get to work. We needed to reverse this travel fiasco.
Asking for help from United Airlines and American Express
The fallout from getting scammed by a fake customer service center is not just financial, unfortunately. Victims of these bad actors are also at great risk of identity theft. The first thing Christian needed to do was to report the scam to American Express.
In response, American Express canceled his card and issued a new one, making it impossible for the fraudsters to charge anything further. I also advised him to file a credit card dispute for the fraudulent service fee which amounted to a 30 percent upcharge.
Next, I contacted our executive at United Airlines to see how we could protect the ticket from the scammers’ reach. The fake agent had already warned Christian that if he filed a credit card dispute, they would cancel the ticket.
Hi ****
I have a United Airlines passenger here who got tricked into booking a business class ticket for his wife via a scam call center. He called a number that was listed in the Google search results as United Airlines but, of course, it wasn’t. This “company” appears to have actually booked him in business class, on the dates he wanted, but they also charged him a separate $1,750 service fee! The scammers have been able to manipulate the credit card terminal information so that American Express is seeing that extra fee as coming from “United.”
I hoped your team could somehow protect that ticket (change the record locator or block access to these scammers). Or alternatively, I think it may make more sense to dispute the entire transaction, if the ticket isn’t valid.
What would your team recommend Christian do in this situation? He’s mostly afraid that the scammers will have control of the ticket the entire time and could cancel it at any time — especially after Amex disputes the $1,750 charge.
Thank you for having a look! I know this one is complicated, but these scam call centers are popping up everywhere and are fooling travelers, airlines, and even credit card companies. It’s a plague on the internet. Thank you! Michelle

The good news: United Airlines and American Express to the rescue
The good news for Christian and his wife came quickly in two waves. First, American Express issued a conditional credit of $1,750 for the scam service fee. That chargeback will become permanent in 30 days as long as there is no rebuttal from the fraudsters. Although that type of challenge is unlikely, it is not unheard of for fake merchants to give it a go and see if they can trick the credit card company as well. (See below for that type of audacity in action.)
Related: How did I lose a credit card dispute against a bankrupt tour operator?
Next, United Airlines took care of the rest, protecting its customer from the grasp of the scammers.
Michelle, here’s a final follow-up:
Our Customer Care team has been in direct contact with Mr. ***** to help with his reservation. We canceled the original reservation and provided a full refund of the ticket. Our team was then able to book a new reservation that the third-party booking agency would not have access to.
As an added note, we encourage customers to always verify contact information listed on a search engine or contact us directly via United.com or the United mobile app. Our online team also watches for fraudulent information posted online and reports these interactions when we spot them.
Hope this helps! (United Airlines Spokesperson)
This certainly did help. Now Christian had the fully refundable ticket he wanted in the first place, at a lower cost and completely inaccessible to TravoCart, Travel Purchase, or whatever new name these scammers use next.
But these ruthless con artists had one more trick up their sleeve.
One last interaction with the scam call center
Unbelievably, the same fake agent who had reserved Christian’s original United Airlines ticket and charged him the giant service fee called him soon after American Express reversed the $1,750.
In a voicemail that Christian shared with me, this scammer expressed concern that she would need to cancel his flights if he didn’t withdraw the credit card dispute right away.
The reason for her call wasn’t just to get that $1,750 back. Through quasi-legitimate transactions, this scam call center has been able to gain access to a credit card terminal as a merchant. Every time someone files a credit card dispute against this operation, they get one step closer to losing that access. Which, of course, they definitely should.
I advised Christian to ignore this ridiculous request, and if TravoCart should take it one step further and challenge the dispute, we’ll take care of that, too.
Christian is relieved to be able to close up this unpleasant situation. The irony is not lost on him that Google first led him to a scammer but then redeemed itself by also leading him to the right place to fix the problem: Consumer Rescue.
Hi Michelle,
I’m so grateful for Consumer Rescue. This is great news from United Airlines. Thanks so much for your help on this. I have a lot of appreciation and gratitude for the work that you do at Consumer Rescue! Christian F****
You’re very welcome, Christian. I’m happy we could help!
How to avoid fake United Airlines customer support scammers
It’s an unfortunate fact that planning your own travel in 2025 will involve dodging scammers. These bad actors are lurking in Google search results, on vacation rental sites, in Facebook groups and Messenger, and in any other place that travelers visit. That means you’ll need to be vigilant and make sure that you’re aware of all the ways these schemers are trolling for victims.
Related: We lost $800 to the car rental gift card scam! Is our money gone?
Here’s what you need to know about avoiding fake customer support scammers disguised as your favorite airline employees.
1. Never rely on Google search results
The current search results for official airline customer support information is unreliable. I’ve been reporting on this phenomenon for several years now. Scam call center operations place ads that position their fake website above the official airline sites. In some cases, these bad actors have been bizarrely able to reach the top of the Google search results without placing ads – appearing in AI-overviews and “people ask” boxes.
With that in mind, you should always make sure you carefully scrutinize the site you’ve obtained a number from. If the domain name of the URL isn’t the company you’re hoping to reach, ditch it. There are much more reliable ways to find the official number of any business.
2. Add the official United Airlines app to your phone
Today, every major airline has a mobile app and you should get to know all the features your carrier’s app offers.
If you regularly travel on United Airlines, create a frequent flyer account and install the app onto your phone. You will instantly be assured that you’ll always have the official phone number of United Airlines’ customer support in your pocket. Not only that, but the app gives you up-to-the minute flight information, chat features, arrival stats and destination details — all things that a scam call center can’t provide.
Fact: The actual number for United Airlines customer service is 1-800-864-8331 (1-800-UNITED-1)
3. Never share your record locator (Passenger Name Record)
If you’re not 100 percent certain about who you’re speaking to, and that person is requesting your record locator, proceed with caution. Many of the blindsided travelers who contact me after becoming entangled with a scam call center are anxious, not just about the additional fees, but about what the schemers might do with their flights.
And rightly so.
Travelers are often unaware about the importance of keeping record locators/ PNRs (Passenger Name Record) private. Ill-intentioned people can do quite a lot with your PNR – including canceling or changing your flight. So never share that information with a stranger – even one you think might be an airline representative.
4. Beware of fake airline customer support agents on social media
I belong to a significant number of Facebook groups and one thing I’ve noticed particularly in the larger, less moderated ones is that scam profiles pretending to be representatives of the airlines lurk in these groups. A common tactic when a group member complains about having an urgent problem with an airline reservation, is for one or more of these fake helpers to swoop in and offer to private message the distressed person.
Always be careful of offers of private assistance through Facebook messenger if you’re on a site that isn’t the official page of the airline. Even if you are, you still must be vigilant. Bold scammers have been known to troll on the official Facebook pages of all major companies as well. And of course, if someone appears in your private Facebook Messenger unsolicited, you can be certain you’re on the radar of a scammer. Just delete the inquiry.
5. Quora and Reddit are filled with fake airline customer service information
Quora and Reddit are not a place to find reliable phone numbers for any airline.
Both Quora and Reddit can be interesting places to visit to share and receive information. But as with anything online, it’s critical you approach what you see there with somewhat suspicious eyes. Many users are anonymous or operating with fake names so it can be quite difficult for you to gauge a member’s trustability. I’ve seen firsthand representatives of scam airline call centers posting their phone numbers in response to other participants’ requests for help.
The bottom line
Unfortunately, scammers aren’t going away. That means you had better be armed with information to protect you and your family from falling prey.
One thing you can be sure of is that Consumer Rescue will be here to warn you of all the latest schemes. And if you just need help finding a reliable phone number or executive email for an airline, cruise line, hotel or any other company, remember we provide a free service: Just Ask Meera. Meera can connect you to a real person in charge of executive customer service at any company around the world.
Of course, if you need additional assistance, and you’ve reached the end of your options, send your request for help to our consumer advocacy team and we’ll be happy to investigate and help you too if we can. Our mediation services are fast, friendly and always free of charge. (Michelle Couch-Friedman, Consumer Rescue)
Why aren’t people like that in jail! There are so many scammers out there now, you don’t know who’s the real person/company!
Great work with this one Michelle, you went above and beyond, as you always do!
Thank you, Dave 🙂
Ah, dollar vans in NYC. Those were the days.
As for today’s story, great job. As the saying goes, Not all heroes wear capes.
You know those as well?? I would like to hear your origin story, too!
Thanks once again Michele for reminding us to double-check Google search results before acting on them in important financial situations such a booking of some sort.
It’s a tricky landscape on Google!
This story really hit home, Michelle. I’m going to check my ‘secret purse phone list’ for accuracy, since I won’t dare make any phone calls if I get into problems on a trip. Thank you for saving this guy, and potentially saving me! Dave is right, why AREN’T these guys in jail? What law enforcement section is in charge of this kind of thing when it comes to Americans being cheated? Even tho I’d never book a flight or hotel on the phone, I can put myself in Christian’s shoes. These scammers are indeed smarter than the average dancing bear!
They aren’t in jail because they aren’t in the United States in most cases. But I really don’t know how they maintain the ability to process credit card payments for any length of time.
Was the ticket legit? If so they did nothing illegal. They simply charged an exorbitant service fee. That doesn’t break processing terms.
The ticket appeared to be legitimate, but it was booked in the wrong fare (nonrefundable) and at no time did this scammer mention a 30% service fee. The information provided through the credit card terminal was also fraudulent because United is listed as the merchant. Merchants aren’t allowed to portray themselves to consumers or credit card companies as something they aren’t.
I am pretty sure the reason the scam center answered the phone with “reservations“ was because they have fake listings for many types of services and companies, all with the same phone number(s). So, the answer with the generic, reservations, and then the victim gives them everything else that they need to be scammed.
That’s exactly why they answer that way!
If the ticket was legitimate all they did was book with a very expensive travel agent. There’s nothing illegal about selling to people who can’t be bothered to pay attention. Sure it’s scummy, but not illegal.
The fault lies with Google and other search engines. If I search on “United Airlines reservations” the very first site that ought to be listed should be the official site from United. Not some fake site. Not a travel agency. Not someone who pays to be listed first. Not someone who fudges with the algorithms. If Google were to be held liable for this type of mess then search results would make more sense.