Month: September 2023
Travelers will oftentimes seek to contact an airline’s customer service team to ask about seat assignments, flight status, and a host of other questions. Recently though, we have been made aware that some of our pilgrims are finding misinformation when searching the internet for their airline’s contact information.
Scammers are posting misinformation on fake travel websites and also changing the phone numbers on the Google Business listings for major airline companies. When a customer dials these erroneous phone numbers, they are led to believe they are being put in touch with an actual airline agent, when it is fact a scam. Without realizing it, the customer could be providing personal information, credit card numbers, or other payment information to someone posing as an airline representative.
To help address this issue, we have put together some simple tips as to how you can protect yourself from being a victim of these online scams:
First, if you ever have questions or concerns about your upcoming pilgrimage flight, you can contact the 206 Tours team by calling 1-800-206-TOUR (8687) or by emailing: sales@206tours.com. Our staff will be happy to assist you and ensure that you have accurate information easily accessible.
Should you wish to contact the airline for your upcoming flight yourself, always go directly to the airline’s official website to their “Contact Us” page, help center, or bottom of the home page to find the correct phone number. Do not use numbers on the company’s Google Business Listing as these numbers can sometimes be edited by scammers and replaced with a false phone number. Avoid finding phone numbers off of Google Ads, travel blogs, social media accounts, or other miscellaneous places online as these can be easily manipulated by hackers.
Listen to your gut feelings. If you are being asked to pay to “reinstate your flight”, contact 206 Tours first as this is most likely a scam. If you need to rebook a flight and the representative on the phone tells you that you must pay significantly more than what your original flight cost, that might be an indication that it is a scam. If they ask you to pay with Venmo, a prepaid gift card, cryptocurrency, or by wire transfer rather than your actual credit card, this could be another indication. Sometimes the fake agent will try to say that customers will get “a special deal” if they pay with these alternative payment methods. They may also try to pressure you into feeling that you need to act quickly, or you will lose the opportunity. This should be an immediate red flag.
Sometimes an airline’s call center and/or customer service desk at the airport has a particularly lengthy wait time. Instead of trying to call an alternative phone number (since you may instead dial a fake phone number), check to see if the airline has an online live chat option on their website or customer service email address as you may likely be able to get a quicker response through these channels.
If you encounter a fraudulent helpline and live in the U.S., you can report the scam information to the Federal Trade Commission by clicking here.
We know that air travel can sometimes be a challenging experience, especially when delays and cancellations occur. However stressful the situation may be, remain calm and follow these tips so that you do not accidentally become a victim of a scam. Ultimately, if you have any questions or hesitations about suspicious activity when finalizing details for your flight with 206 Tours, we encourage you to contact our team at 1-800-206-TOUR (8687) or by emailing sales@206tours.com so that we can assist you.
View the Full 206 Tours Pilgrimage Directory: www.206tours.com/pilgrimages
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On this All Saints’ Day, may we all be inspired by the lives of the saints to live our own lives in holiness and virtue. As Catholics, one of the most beautiful aspects of our faith are the relationships we develop with the Saints; being inspired by them and asking them to intercede for us. While we can learn so much about their lives through reading and prayer, there is something so special about by visiting the very places where they lived and carried out their life’s work. Here are 5 pilgrimages that will allow you to walk in their individual footsteps and get to know them in a new and powerful way:
One of the most well-known Saints in Catholic history, the life and spirituality of St. Francis permeated his Italian homeland and beyond. This pilgrimage follows the Way of St. Francis which is an early Roman road between Florence and Rome. As St. Francis deeply loved nature, it is fitting that this 13-day walking pilgrimage will bring you through the beautiful Italian countryside to experience God’s majesty through the eyes of St. Francis.
One of the 12 Apostles of Jesus, St. James traveled from the Holy Land to Spain spreading the Gospel of Christ as he went. The El Camino pilgrimage also known as “The Way of St. James” is one of the most famous and beloved walking pilgrimages. Millions of pilgrims have traveled this ancient path for thousands of years. Like St. James, Our Lord asks each of us to “come and follow” him (Mt. 4:19). Step away from the busyness of daily life and follow in the example of St. James who personally knew Jesus Christ on this 11-day walking pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
A heroine of France, St. Joan of Arc was a poor, peasant girl who answered God’s call to lead the French army to victory after receiving visions of Saint Michael, Saint Catherine, and Saint Margaret, each of whom told her to drive the English from France. Stepping out in faith, Joan successfully carried out this mission until she was eventually captured and tried by an English tribunal before being burned at the stake in Normandy on May 30, 1431. Since then, she has been dearly loved as a patron saint of France. Experience the beauty and richness of the country she fought for as you journey in her footsteps on this 13-day pilgrimage to France with 206 Tours.
St. John Paul II, St. Faustina & St. Maximilian Kolbe
God used these three Polish saints as powerful instruments to pour out His love and Diving Mercy during a time when the world was in great turmoil. This pilgrimage will bring you to several sites including the convent where Jesus appeared to St. Faustina, the Church where St. John Paul II was baptized, and the concentration camp where St. Maximilian Kolbe gave his life to save a fellow prisoner. See this country through the eyes of these three incredible individuals and see why Poland is called “the Land of Saints”. Watch this video of Fr. Donald Calloway sharing his experience on this powerful 9-day 206 Tours pilgrimage.
Largely regarded as one of the greatest missionaries of the faith, St. Paul was dramatically converted when Our Lord Himself appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Once he devoted his life to Christ, St. Paul was tireless in journeying throughout the ancient world baptizing and spreading the Gospel. Follow his travels to some of the earliest sites of Christianity including Athens, Thessaloniki, Philippi, and more. This 11-day pilgrimage also includes a beautiful cruise through the Greek Isles which is sure to be unforgettable!
Interested in learning more about all of the pilgrimages available with 206 Tours? Click here to view the full list of available itineraries.