New data from Israeli cyber firm BrandShield shows a sharp increase in domain registrations related to airlines and hotels - that is, fake websites and profiles on social networks.
The most notable jump was recorded around Delta Air Lines: the number of domains associated with the brand rose from 1,421 in August 2025 to 2,517 in July 2026 – an increase of 77%. Last June alone, a record 2,815 domains were recorded.
Hilton also recorded a sharp jump: from 156 domains in August last year to 347 in July this year – an increase of 122%.
Around El Al, 892 domains were registered in April, compared to 1,059 in July - an increase of about 191% in three months.
At the same time, scammers are targeting Israelis who apply for service on Facebook and impersonating El Al representatives in an attempt to steal personal information.
But phishing sites are not the only method. Another phenomenon concerns Israelis who seek service in Facebook groups dealing with El Al.
After a surfer posts about a problem with a booking, a flight change, or a request for assistance, they may receive a message from an account impersonating the company's customer service representative.
Impersonating an El Al representative on Facebook I Photo: Facebook
The impostor already knows that the surfer is a customer and is familiar with the problem that he wrote about publicly. Under the guise of "handling a request," he may ask to switch to a private conversation, click on a link, or provide personal and order details.
It is the timing that makes the method convincing: unlike a random phishing message, the contact comes at a time when the customer truly expects a service representative to get back to them.
BrandShield emphasizes that registering a domain name that includes a brand name does not in itself indicate fraud, and some registrations may be legitimate. However, multiple domains around well-known brands increases the potential exposure to phishing and phishing sites.
Yoav Keren, CEO of BrandShield: "Periods of high demand for vacations and flights are fertile ground for phishing attempts. Attackers know that consumers are looking for good prices, sometimes under time pressure, and build websites that look almost identical to the original. The increase we see in domain registrations around brands like Delta, Hilton, and even El Al requires the public to be more suspicious: not to settle for a logo or design that looks familiar, but to check the website address and think twice before depositing personal information and credit data.".
Fishing American Airlines I Photo: BrandShield
On phishing sites, the difference from the original can be extremely small: a single letter replaced in the address, a hyphen, a different suffix, or a word like “booking” or “tickets.” The site itself may include the logo, colors, and look of the real company—up until the point where the victim enters personal or credit information.
How not to fall into the trap?
