Overview

• Fraudsters retrieve discarded luggage tags and boarding passes in airport baggage areas and hotel rooms to file false missing-item claims.
• Delta and other carriers report a spike in suspicious reimbursement requests, straining their ability to process legitimate claims.
• The barcodes on bag tags contain personal details that scammers use to trigger Department of Transportation–mandated compensation.
• Travel experts recommend passengers treat bag tags and boarding passes like bank statements by shredding them at home.
• Travelers note that some international airports already offer secure disposal bins near baggage claim exits as a preventive model.