People move through the newly opened portion of Concourse A at Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
By Alyssa Bradford
Alyssa is a trending desk writer for the Deseret News. She covers health and travel.

If you search for an airline’s customer service phone number, some top Google results have scam numbers, according to The Washington Post.

Why are Google’s results for airline customer service numbers sometimes incorrect?

Spammers are leveraging artificial intelligence tools to produce thousands of pieces of content.

Alarmingly, Google’s algorithms often prioritize these AI-generated pages over the official information users are seeking, per The Wall Street Journal.

Is Google doing anything about the problem?

A Google spokesperson told CNN, “We do not tolerate this misleading activity, and are constantly monitoring and evolving our platforms to combat fraud and create a safe environment for users and businesses.”

“Our teams have already begun reverting the inaccuracies, suspending the malicious accounts involved, and applying additional protections to prevent further abuse,” the spokesperson continued.

But according to a more recent article published by The Washington Post, Google is choosing not to fix the problem.

“Google says that it’s ‘extremely rare’ for airline customer service searches to show you scam phone numbers. A Google representative didn’t say what the company considers an acceptable number of people tricked out of their time or money,” per The Washington Post.

What happens if you contact a spam number?

If you call the fake number, the scammer may prompt you to pay additional fees and request personal or financial data. Giving them this information may cause loss of money or lead to identity theft, per Aura.

What are the correct customer service websites and phone numbers for airlines?

To get into contact with your airline’s legitimate customer service representatives, go to its official website.

These numbers and web addresses were taken from airlines’ direct sites and were not Google searched.

Phone numbers are for individuals in the United States and Canada. Check the customer service website for numbers to call if you’re in other locations.

Alaska Airlines

Allegiant Air

American Airlines

Breeze Airways

Delta Air Lines

Frontier Airlines

JetBlue

  • “Contact Us” web address: https://www.jetblue.com/contact-us.
  • “Chat” with JetBlue on the “Contact Us” webpage seen above.
  • Call customer service: 1-800-538-2583.
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Southwest Airlines

Spirit Airlines

United Airlines

  • “Help Center” web address: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/help-center.html.
  • Booking a new reservation, help with current reservation: 1-800-864-8331.
  • Flight status: 1-800-824-6200.
  • Baggage: 1-800-335-2247.
  • MileagePlus: 1-800-421-4655.
  • Receipts and other services: 1-800-490-2021.
  • Accessibility desk: 1-800-228-2744.

What are other travel scams?

Here are other scams to be aware of and try to avoid, per Forbes.

  • Unexpected requests from callers, emails or texts.
  • Airline deals not from the official airline: If the deal is too good to be true, it probably isn’t.
  • Airbnb scams via incorrect links: Stick with reputable booking sites and not random advertisements or emails.
  • Charging stations and public Wi-Fi: Cybercriminals can hack your data.
  • Restaurant scams: High tips or overcharging for simple items.
  • Taxi scams: Drivers may take you where you’re not supposed to go or charge you more than originally planned. Use reputable services.
  • Rental agreements: Thoroughly read all agreements you’re asked to sign, including the ones for cars and accommodations.
  • “Free” gifts: Avoid accepting anything unexpected for free. You may end up paying.
Related
The travel scams you need to know about
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