1
00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:10,453
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast

2
00:00:10,573 --> 00:00:11,773
Speaker 1: from News Talks.

3
00:00:11,453 --> 00:00:15,653
Speaker 2: At be Mike Yardy is our travel correspondent. This morning,

4
00:00:15,653 --> 00:00:19,613
Speaker 2: he's focusing on travel scams and swindles, because as much

5
00:00:19,613 --> 00:00:23,613
Speaker 2: as you might be enjoying traveling the world, nothing will

6
00:00:23,693 --> 00:00:26,573
Speaker 2: take the fun out of your holiday like getting ripped

7
00:00:26,613 --> 00:00:29,013
Speaker 2: off by a scammer. Good morning, Mike.

8
00:00:30,053 --> 00:00:33,453
Speaker 3: Good morning Jack. Yes, that's exactly that in terms of, like,

9
00:00:33,573 --> 00:00:36,133
Speaker 3: you know, you've saved up for a hard earned holiday

10
00:00:36,173 --> 00:00:39,013
Speaker 3: and you don't want to have that shine taken off

11
00:00:39,013 --> 00:00:41,813
Speaker 3: the experience. So yeah, you do not want to lead

12
00:00:41,853 --> 00:00:43,893
Speaker 3: your guard down. There are a lot of bad bikers

13
00:00:43,893 --> 00:00:44,293
Speaker 3: out there.

14
00:00:44,453 --> 00:00:46,973
Speaker 2: My brother has just been going on holiday in Europe

15
00:00:47,053 --> 00:00:50,213
Speaker 2: nice for some and he had flown out and was

16
00:00:50,253 --> 00:00:53,533
Speaker 2: on the plane and then texted us. Upon arrival, he

17
00:00:53,653 --> 00:00:55,813
Speaker 2: got a call from his bank saying we've had some

18
00:00:55,853 --> 00:00:57,813
Speaker 2: weird transactions and he was like, what do you mean

19
00:00:58,093 --> 00:01:00,653
Speaker 2: some weird transactions and they said, well, you know, we've

20
00:01:00,693 --> 00:01:05,773
Speaker 2: had some transactions and you know, in Nigeria and somewhere

21
00:01:05,773 --> 00:01:08,373
Speaker 2: else on you carda a bit surprised and he said, oh,

22
00:01:08,453 --> 00:01:10,373
Speaker 2: that's that's strange, and they said, look, can you just

23
00:01:10,373 --> 00:01:12,373
Speaker 2: get out your credit card and make sure. And he went.

24
00:01:12,413 --> 00:01:14,773
Speaker 2: He looked in his bag and his credit card have

25
00:01:14,853 --> 00:01:17,693
Speaker 2: been gone pinched out of his backpack and the overhead locker.

26
00:01:17,773 --> 00:01:19,453
Speaker 3: So there you go. Man.

27
00:01:19,773 --> 00:01:22,093
Speaker 2: There you gotta be very careful. And I mean that's

28
00:01:22,133 --> 00:01:24,213
Speaker 2: just the old school, right, like pinching your cards, the

29
00:01:24,253 --> 00:01:27,133
Speaker 2: old school, you know, not particularly technical. But this is

30
00:01:27,133 --> 00:01:29,653
Speaker 2: the digital age, and I would have thought that, you know,

31
00:01:29,693 --> 00:01:34,933
Speaker 2: stuff like fake booking sites AI scams are increasingly catching travelers,

32
00:01:34,933 --> 00:01:35,253
Speaker 2: are they.

33
00:01:36,173 --> 00:01:38,533
Speaker 3: Yes, well, I was thinking of you, Jack in terms

34
00:01:38,613 --> 00:01:44,013
Speaker 3: of you know, fake product endorsements, exploiting the likes of you,

35
00:01:45,053 --> 00:01:49,093
Speaker 3: same sort of concept where through the power of AI,

36
00:01:49,533 --> 00:01:53,853
Speaker 3: so many booking sites are being created that are essentially

37
00:01:54,053 --> 00:01:59,293
Speaker 3: cloning legitimate websites. They look almost identical, and this could

38
00:01:59,293 --> 00:02:05,813
Speaker 3: be like flights, activities, accommodation platforms. So you really do

39
00:02:05,893 --> 00:02:08,013
Speaker 3: need to be extra careful that you are dealing with

40
00:02:08,053 --> 00:02:12,693
Speaker 3: a reputable company and the real deal. One of the

41
00:02:12,733 --> 00:02:17,773
Speaker 3: big giveaways is a web page that is designed to

42
00:02:17,893 --> 00:02:24,613
Speaker 3: take payments should always start with HTTPS if it says

43
00:02:24,893 --> 00:02:28,973
Speaker 3: http red flag burg red flag.

44
00:02:29,213 --> 00:02:31,453
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that's a very good point. What about public

45
00:02:31,453 --> 00:02:32,733
Speaker 2: Wi Fi networks?

46
00:02:33,493 --> 00:02:38,053
Speaker 3: Interesting isn't it, Because I have repeatedly over the years

47
00:02:38,293 --> 00:02:43,413
Speaker 3: used airport, public Wi Fi, hotel Wi Fi, cafe Wi Fi,

48
00:02:44,133 --> 00:02:48,733
Speaker 3: and you are putting yourself at greater risk of being

49
00:02:48,773 --> 00:02:54,773
Speaker 3: snared by an opportunist scammer. Particularly they'll be after intercepting

50
00:02:54,813 --> 00:02:59,413
Speaker 3: your data, stealing passwords, accounts, numbers, and stalling malware. A

51
00:02:59,413 --> 00:03:02,013
Speaker 3: lot of people, of course will use a good VPN

52
00:03:03,093 --> 00:03:08,613
Speaker 3: for protection because that encrypt your connection. But if you

53
00:03:08,853 --> 00:03:12,973
Speaker 3: are using public Wi Fi, I would strongly suggest you

54
00:03:13,573 --> 00:03:17,173
Speaker 3: restrict your usage to surfing the net, do not use

55
00:03:17,373 --> 00:03:22,053
Speaker 3: any sensitive apps. Definitely nothing in the way of online

56
00:03:22,093 --> 00:03:24,453
Speaker 3: banking when using public Wi Fi.

57
00:03:24,653 --> 00:03:27,693
Speaker 2: That's my role. I just don't any big transaction or stuff.

58
00:03:27,693 --> 00:03:30,213
Speaker 2: I don't do it on public Wi Fi just and

59
00:03:30,293 --> 00:03:33,973
Speaker 2: sometimes even if I'm traveling in New Zealand, I make

60
00:03:34,013 --> 00:03:36,413
Speaker 2: an effort to you know, if I'm using public Wi

61
00:03:36,413 --> 00:03:40,013
Speaker 2: Fi and I'm you know, somewhere else, I will will

62
00:03:40,093 --> 00:03:42,253
Speaker 2: choose to go off the Wi Fi and then set

63
00:03:42,293 --> 00:03:44,293
Speaker 2: up a little thing on my phone instead, you know,

64
00:03:44,413 --> 00:03:48,333
Speaker 2: like it's just worth that I reckon. So is obviously

65
00:03:48,333 --> 00:03:52,573
Speaker 2: a universal nuisance and tourist destinations and my brother's what

66
00:03:52,773 --> 00:03:55,413
Speaker 2: particular tactic is trending at the moment.

67
00:03:56,733 --> 00:04:00,533
Speaker 3: Interestingly, I came across this earlier this year at Munich airport.

68
00:04:00,533 --> 00:04:05,533
Speaker 3: Apparently the most popular pickpocket technique in Europe at the

69
00:04:05,573 --> 00:04:10,973
Speaker 3: moment is called the sandwich. So picture that you're standing

70
00:04:10,973 --> 00:04:14,173
Speaker 3: on an escalator, for example, at the airport, and you've

71
00:04:14,213 --> 00:04:16,813
Speaker 3: got people in front of you blocking the way past.

72
00:04:17,453 --> 00:04:21,373
Speaker 3: Unbeknown to you, the couple standing in front of you

73
00:04:21,453 --> 00:04:26,013
Speaker 3: are actually acting as stallers, so there'll be a rogue

74
00:04:26,173 --> 00:04:29,853
Speaker 3: behind you picking through your backpack. So that is the

75
00:04:29,893 --> 00:04:35,053
Speaker 3: sandwich technique. Apparently that is just rife in airport, shopping malls,

76
00:04:35,133 --> 00:04:38,773
Speaker 3: train stations, you name it, all across Europe. It's the

77
00:04:38,933 --> 00:04:42,933
Speaker 3: number one pickpocketing tactic. But as a general rule, as

78
00:04:42,973 --> 00:04:45,653
Speaker 3: we've talked about before and areas that have got a

79
00:04:45,693 --> 00:04:49,933
Speaker 3: notorious reputation for pickpockets, definitely turn your backpack into a

80
00:04:50,013 --> 00:04:53,053
Speaker 3: front pack or have some sort of like cross body

81
00:04:53,133 --> 00:04:56,053
Speaker 3: bag if you are taking valuables out with you.

82
00:04:56,333 --> 00:04:58,533
Speaker 2: What's the go with tap and go street fraud.

83
00:05:00,173 --> 00:05:04,413
Speaker 3: This is fascinating and I have actually been given a

84
00:05:04,413 --> 00:05:08,653
Speaker 3: bit of a reinforcement about this in Nepal and India

85
00:05:08,813 --> 00:05:12,173
Speaker 3: in the last week or so. It is huge in

86
00:05:12,173 --> 00:05:14,533
Speaker 3: that part of the world. So what is going on

87
00:05:15,293 --> 00:05:18,613
Speaker 3: is that a whole lot of opportunists have got these

88
00:05:18,693 --> 00:05:23,653
Speaker 3: portable card reader machines and in busy, congested tourist areas,

89
00:05:24,093 --> 00:05:29,333
Speaker 3: they just nudge into tourists that look like they've got

90
00:05:29,333 --> 00:05:33,453
Speaker 3: a wallet in your pocket, and that can be enough

91
00:05:33,893 --> 00:05:39,093
Speaker 3: to activate the tap and go the payWave being recorded

92
00:05:39,133 --> 00:05:43,373
Speaker 3: by their card reader machine as a transaction. It's that easy.

93
00:05:44,053 --> 00:05:48,653
Speaker 3: So turn off the tap or payWave function on your

94
00:05:48,693 --> 00:05:52,493
Speaker 3: phone if you can. Otherwise. I noticed what is becoming

95
00:05:52,573 --> 00:05:58,333
Speaker 3: increasingly on sale, particularly at airports and so forth, are

96
00:05:58,413 --> 00:06:02,573
Speaker 3: like shield covers for your credit card, so the card

97
00:06:02,613 --> 00:06:06,413
Speaker 3: reader machines can't penetrate those two to do a dodgy.

98
00:06:07,453 --> 00:06:09,493
Speaker 2: Hey, Mike, just stay there for a moment. We have

99
00:06:09,653 --> 00:06:11,613
Speaker 2: a bit of breaking news. Twenty five past eleven.

100
00:06:14,693 --> 00:06:18,773
Speaker 3: This is news Talk zib breaking news right.

101
00:06:18,893 --> 00:06:21,333
Speaker 2: Foreign Minister wins And Peters is speaking at the United

102
00:06:21,373 --> 00:06:24,533
Speaker 2: Nations General Assembly in New York. New Zealand is not

103
00:06:24,893 --> 00:06:29,733
Speaker 2: recognizing the state of Palestine at this stage. He says

104
00:06:29,813 --> 00:06:33,133
Speaker 2: it's a case of when, not if, the New Zealand

105
00:06:33,173 --> 00:06:37,213
Speaker 2: will recognize Palestinian statehood. But it is presentation at the

106
00:06:37,333 --> 00:06:41,253
Speaker 2: UN General Assembly. He's medically New Zealand is not recognizing

107
00:06:41,253 --> 00:06:43,253
Speaker 2: the state of Palestine at this stage. It means that

108
00:06:43,293 --> 00:06:45,733
Speaker 2: New Zealand's decision is at odds with about one hundred

109
00:06:45,733 --> 00:06:49,213
Speaker 2: and fifty other countries around the world, including Australia, who

110
00:06:49,253 --> 00:06:53,373
Speaker 2: announced formal recognition earlier this week at the UN General Assembly.

111
00:06:53,453 --> 00:06:56,253
Speaker 2: But Foreign Minister Winston Peters in his presentation says New

112
00:06:56,293 --> 00:06:59,613
Speaker 2: Zealand is not recognizing the state of Palestine at this stage.

113
00:06:59,653 --> 00:07:02,093
Speaker 2: We'll have more details for that about that in the

114
00:07:02,133 --> 00:07:06,333
Speaker 2: news very shortly. Right it is twenty six minutes past eleven.

115
00:07:06,453 --> 00:07:09,293
Speaker 2: Mike Hardley, a travel correspond is still whether Sorry to

116
00:07:09,333 --> 00:07:12,773
Speaker 2: interrupt you there, Mike. I just we always to bring

117
00:07:12,813 --> 00:07:14,493
Speaker 2: you around the breaking news as soon as as soon

118
00:07:14,533 --> 00:07:15,933
Speaker 2: as it happens, and I know a lot of people

119
00:07:15,933 --> 00:07:18,213
Speaker 2: had been waiting to see what Winston Peters would say.

120
00:07:18,333 --> 00:07:20,213
Speaker 2: It's part of his presentation here this morning.

121
00:07:20,933 --> 00:07:24,133
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a very Winston decision, isn't it. Well, I

122
00:07:24,173 --> 00:07:24,893
Speaker 3: mean it's interesting.

123
00:07:24,973 --> 00:07:27,093
Speaker 2: Yes, I'm sure people will have their own thoughts on it.

124
00:07:27,173 --> 00:07:31,013
Speaker 2: It's obviously a contentious subject, but yeah, you know, it's

125
00:07:31,173 --> 00:07:34,173
Speaker 2: a decision that was I think made by cabinet earlier,

126
00:07:34,213 --> 00:07:36,973
Speaker 2: but I expect that within cabinet there would be a

127
00:07:37,053 --> 00:07:39,893
Speaker 2: variety of different opinions on whether or not New Zealand

128
00:07:39,933 --> 00:07:43,093
Speaker 2: should be recognizing Palestinian state. But very important to point out,

129
00:07:43,093 --> 00:07:45,693
Speaker 2: he says, when not if, but at the stage New

130
00:07:45,813 --> 00:07:49,573
Speaker 2: Zealand is not recognizing the state. So we were talking

131
00:07:49,573 --> 00:07:53,693
Speaker 2: about their different scams and swindles that can affect travelers,

132
00:07:54,373 --> 00:07:56,733
Speaker 2: and you were talking about the tap and go with

133
00:07:56,813 --> 00:07:59,533
Speaker 2: a kind of streetforward people brushing up against you. What

134
00:07:59,613 --> 00:08:02,493
Speaker 2: about QR cod scams they're increasing as well.

135
00:08:04,093 --> 00:08:06,413
Speaker 3: Yeah, I know it's quite in cillious, isn't it. So

136
00:08:07,133 --> 00:08:10,533
Speaker 3: just a gentle reminder when you're ordering food in a restaurant,

137
00:08:10,573 --> 00:08:13,693
Speaker 3: for example, it will actually pay to check the QR

138
00:08:13,733 --> 00:08:17,973
Speaker 3: code carefully. Particularly in Asia, apparently this is trending whereby

139
00:08:18,013 --> 00:08:21,933
Speaker 3: some schemers are placing their own QR code stickers over

140
00:08:21,973 --> 00:08:26,173
Speaker 3: the top of the existing codes. So check the URL

141
00:08:26,453 --> 00:08:30,333
Speaker 3: that you've just taken a snap of, because they are

142
00:08:30,453 --> 00:08:32,133
Speaker 3: using that as a way to try and get your

143
00:08:32,173 --> 00:08:34,853
Speaker 3: credit card details. What just amazing A.

144
00:08:35,133 --> 00:08:39,093
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean yeah here amazing, but pretty frustrating if

145
00:08:39,093 --> 00:08:40,533
Speaker 2: you're the one who's caught up in it. What about

146
00:08:40,613 --> 00:08:42,133
Speaker 2: eVisa swindles.

147
00:08:42,773 --> 00:08:47,253
Speaker 3: Yeah, just finally, this is not a new one, but

148
00:08:48,173 --> 00:08:50,813
Speaker 3: I think most New Zealanders will be aware that. For example,

149
00:08:50,813 --> 00:08:54,093
Speaker 3: when you're applying for an est to go to the

150
00:08:54,213 --> 00:08:56,973
Speaker 3: US under the visa waiver program, if you look at

151
00:08:57,013 --> 00:09:03,573
Speaker 3: the Internet, you'll notice there are hundreds of profiteering ester websites,

152
00:09:03,853 --> 00:09:06,133
Speaker 3: and a lot of people aren't aware until it's too

153
00:09:06,213 --> 00:09:09,413
Speaker 3: late that they've actually not used the official US government

154
00:09:09,533 --> 00:09:14,533
Speaker 3: site but a lookalike website that actually just adds on

155
00:09:15,093 --> 00:09:18,533
Speaker 3: a service fee which you don't actually have to pay.

156
00:09:19,333 --> 00:09:21,373
Speaker 3: I know the same things happened with the New Zealand

157
00:09:21,813 --> 00:09:25,813
Speaker 3: ETA scheme as well. But interestingly, Jack, when I applied

158
00:09:25,813 --> 00:09:29,533
Speaker 3: for my India eVisa a few weeks ago, I found

159
00:09:29,573 --> 00:09:34,933
Speaker 3: the Government of India website so bloody hopeless that I

160
00:09:35,093 --> 00:09:40,573
Speaker 3: did actually end up using one of the more commercial sites.

161
00:09:40,653 --> 00:09:43,453
Speaker 3: I was prepared to pay twenty bucks just for a

162
00:09:43,493 --> 00:09:48,333
Speaker 3: more efficient application experience. So there's sort of swings roundabouts

163
00:09:48,373 --> 00:09:49,253
Speaker 3: with it. The thing that.

164
00:09:49,253 --> 00:09:51,693
Speaker 2: Always surprises me is that even with the US one,

165
00:09:51,973 --> 00:09:55,333
Speaker 2: I'm always surprised at how kind of budget the official

166
00:09:55,413 --> 00:09:58,653
Speaker 2: US government website looks. I was like, is this it

167
00:09:58,693 --> 00:10:00,253
Speaker 2: like this looks like something I could have built.

168
00:10:00,293 --> 00:10:03,373
Speaker 3: You know, it needs a bit of Marri Lago bling.

169
00:10:03,573 --> 00:10:05,373
Speaker 2: Yeah, well it just needs it just needs a bit

170
00:10:05,373 --> 00:10:07,573
Speaker 2: of a that's not just a pain. It just looks,

171
00:10:07,613 --> 00:10:10,693
Speaker 2: you know, a bit old and scuzzy. But anyway, Finally,

172
00:10:10,693 --> 00:10:14,213
Speaker 2: another little moneysucker to avoid is selecting a credit card

173
00:10:14,293 --> 00:10:16,613
Speaker 2: charge in New Zealand currency when overseas.

174
00:10:17,933 --> 00:10:23,733
Speaker 3: Yes, indeed, I get so frustrated by this because literally

175
00:10:23,773 --> 00:10:26,973
Speaker 3: everyone does it, you know, like really big judy free stores,

176
00:10:27,533 --> 00:10:30,773
Speaker 3: five star hotels. When you're checking out and you're fixing

177
00:10:30,853 --> 00:10:33,333
Speaker 3: up your bell or you've just bought your duty free alcohol,

178
00:10:33,413 --> 00:10:35,613
Speaker 3: they'll say, do you want to pay a New Zealand

179
00:10:35,613 --> 00:10:38,253
Speaker 3: currency or you know, the local currency wherever you are

180
00:10:38,253 --> 00:10:41,053
Speaker 3: in the world. Do not select the New Zealand currency

181
00:10:41,093 --> 00:10:44,053
Speaker 3: because it is such a ruse just to skim a

182
00:10:44,093 --> 00:10:47,853
Speaker 3: bit of extra profit off you. It's always dearer overseas

183
00:10:47,893 --> 00:10:49,373
Speaker 3: to pay a New Zealand currency.

184
00:10:49,453 --> 00:10:51,653
Speaker 2: Yeah. Hey, great advice. We really appreciate it. Thank you

185
00:10:51,653 --> 00:10:54,053
Speaker 2: so much. Mike. That is Mike Guard the Travel Cross.

186
00:10:54,333 --> 00:10:57,453
Speaker 1: For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live

187
00:10:57,533 --> 00:11:00,853
Speaker 1: to newstalksz' B from nine am Saturday, or follow the

188
00:11:00,853 --> 00:11:02,333
Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio,