Dubai Airport Luggage Scam: Fake Social Media Pages Claim to Sell Lost Bags – News
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“Forgotten treasures are looking for their new home!” reads one of the several messages from the fake Dubai International Airport account. “Choose from a variety of items at attractive prices with no percentage discounts.”
Social media is rife with such posts, involving a scam claiming to sell lost luggage for prices as low as Dh8. The plan supposedly involves cleaning up the airport warehouse, where “lost luggage” has gone unclaimed for more than six months.
The Dubai International Airport (DXB) real account posted a notice to passengers on social media warning them about “fake profiles”. It said: “We’ve spotted fake profiles claiming to sell lost luggage on Facebook and Instagram, and we want you to know it’s not us!”
Taking the humorous route, DXB wrote: “We’re here to rip off, not scam. So if you see any suspicious bargains, keep an eye out and don’t click on them.”
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The fake Facebook account remains active, with the last link and comment posted on January 16. The scammer’s posts claim that lost luggage sales are “online only.” Several fraudulent posts have generated a lot of attention, with positive comments, reviews and photos from so-called “customers.”
The page encourages people to visit the website and place orders. They also offer “nationwide delivery” and “60 days return” policy. One post wrote: “Luggage that has been stored for more than a year should be recycled. The airport does not want to pay the concession fee for the next quarter and is selling the remaining lost luggage in the warehouse.”
Khaleej Times clicked on the attachment to follow the link and was alerted to a cyber threat from euxy11sale8.space, which could steal passwords, messages or credit card details.
This is not the first time a scam of this type has arisen. Around the same time, in January, a Facebook page called ‘Kuala Lumpur International Airport’ uploaded several posts and advertisements, claiming to have “lost suitcases with electronics” for sale.
The page is listed in the ‘Tutor/Teacher’ category and was created in Casablanca, Morocco. He began posting about the sale of lost luggage on January 10 of this year.
Malaysia Airports’ official Facebook page has alerted travelers about fraudulent Facebook pages or online sellers claiming to offer lost luggage items for sale.
0.1% chance of lost luggage in DXB
On average, 2.7 million bags were moved monthly from September 2023 to January 2024 from DXB to 140 global destinations.
The chances of baggage mishandling by Dubai-based Emirates are minimal: 1.3 out of 1,000 bags, the airline revealed on February 2, as it maintained a near-perfect success rate of 99.9 per percent on baggage handling during the busiest travel months.
“Emirates has an excellent statistical track record in baggage handling, where 99.9 per cent of all baggage originating from Dubai or in transit reaches its owner on time and at the correct destination,” the airline said.
How to report and claim lost luggage
If you have lost any personal belongings at Dubai airport, there are several ways to recover them. You can use the Dubai Airport lost and found contact number at 042245383, which operates 24 hours a day.
Alternatively, for items lost on board your flight or in the terminal, call the airport’s general information number on 042245555 or complete a lost items form. The lost and found office at Dubai Airport is located on the lower levels of departure terminals 1 and 3.
If your lost luggage is recovered, some steps should be taken to ensure that you return with your belongings and receive compensation for related expenses.
- Contact airline customer service for information about your baggage claim.
- Once your luggage is located, provide your contact information for delivery to your home or hotel.
- If your baggage is delayed 12 hours or more, request a refund of your checked baggage charges.
- After 24 hours, file a claim with the airline to be entitled to compensation.
- Keep receipts for any incidental expenses up to $50 per day for up to five days. Most airlines will reimburse you for these expenses.
How to track luggage on Emirates
In case your luggage gets lost on an Emirates flight, here’s how to track it. You can use the Emirates app, select your trip under ‘My Trips’ and choose ‘My Baggage Status’. This allows you to track your luggage from check-in to your destination. If your luggage is delayed, the tracker will give you a reference number (called a PIR). The delayed or damaged baggage tracker is also available on the Emirates website. The airline will contact you to arrange a delivery time. However, in some countries, local laws mean that they cannot forward delayed baggage to the passenger, who must collect it at the airport.
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