The “business-impersonator scam” has deceived 396,227 Americans in the first nine months of 2025, representing an 18% increase from 2024. Scammers impersonate airline staff through social media and phishing texts to exploit stressed travelers. Reported losses from these scams reached $835 million, prompting responses from companies like United Airlines to direct customers to official contact information. Despite Google’s efforts to block fraudulent ads, many continue to evade detection, leaving victims like a Bloomberg reporter to navigate the aftermath of their scams.
