Travelers in Alamogordo should be on high alert after the Alamogordo White Sands Regional Airport announced a surge of fraudulent airline ticket offers. Scammers posing as legitimate travel agents have been advertising and selling tickets for flights that simply do not exist.

What happened

Airport officials reported that a passenger recently arrived at the regional airport with a ticket that appeared authentic. The ticket, however, listed a flight that was never scheduled to depart from Alamogordo. “The documents looked genuine, but the registered flight did not exist,” the airport statement read.

Why the airport is warning travelers

Alamogordo White Sands Regional Airport does not provide commercial passenger service. Any individual or company claiming to sell tickets for scheduled flights to or from the airport should be treated as suspicious. The airport urges anyone approached with such offers to verify the flight directly with the airline before providing payment or personal information.

How to protect yourself

Officials recommend the following steps to avoid falling victim to the scam:

• Contact the airline directly using a phone number or website you know is official.
• Never share personal or financial information with an unsolicited caller or email.
• Look for red flags such as unusually low prices, pressure to act quickly, or requests for payment via non‑traditional methods.
• Report any suspicious offers to the airport or local law‑enforcement agencies immediately.

Community response

Local residents expressed concern that the scam could damage confidence in the region’s travel infrastructure. “We rely on the airport for cargo and private flights, and it’s unsettling to see fraudsters using our name,” said a longtime Alamogordo business owner.

The airport’s public‑information office emphasized that the warning is purely preventative. “Our goal is to keep travelers safe and protect the reputation of our facility,” the statement concluded.

Next steps

The airport will continue monitoring for fraudulent activity and work with law‑enforcement to investigate any reported incidents. Travelers who suspect they have been targeted are encouraged to file a report as soon as possible.

Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.