I spent most of this week down a Prince rabbit hole.

He's recognized as a legend. I know that. But I still think he is underrated. There are so many songs that never got mainstream attention that are just pure works of art.

And naturally, I found myself back in the middle of the greatest debate in music. Prince vs Michael Jackson.

To give Michael a fair shake, I went back and rewatched some of the classics. Smooth Criminal. Dirty Diana. Bad.

I immediately revised my revision. MJ is the King. Full stop.

Think about it. One person. One catalog. You can play his music anywhere in the world and every single person in the room knows every word. That is not normal. That is something else entirely.

Now I completely understand why my dad stopped talking to Uncle Eric for three years after he said something blasphemous about the King. Some things are just not forgiven.

That said, I know which camp I am in. But honestly, is the world not lucky to have had both of them at the same time?

Anyway. 

Who do you prefer, Michael Jackson or Prince? Reply, but choose wisely.

P.S. This was supposed to be a travel planning weekend. Then the Prince vs MJ rabbit hole happened. Zero regrets. It was absolutely worth it. 

But I did not forget about you. Let's get into something every traveler needs to know right now.

The following is based on real events. Some details have been changed.

Maria's flight just got delayed two hours.

She's frustrated. She pulls up the airline's website looking for options. A chat window appears in the corner. "Hi, I'm Sarah. I see your flight was delayed. Can I help you rebook or offer you a complimentary upgrade?"

Sarah knows Maria's flight number. She knows her name. She sounds completely real.

Maria types back. Sarah offers her a deal. A discounted upgrade, but only if she acts in the next 10 minutes. Sarah asks for her credit card to hold the offer.

Maria types it in.

Sarah was never real. And neither was the offer.

This is happening more than you think.

AI has made it cheaper and faster than ever to run a travel scam. Fake booking sites that used to take weeks to build can now be built in hours. They come loaded with realistic photos, fake reviews, and working payment pages.

The chatbots have gotten scary good too. They pull your name and flight details from data that has already been leaked online. Then they use that information to sound like they know you. Like they work for the airline.

And scammers know exactly when to strike. Flight delays. Last minute bookings. Those are the moments when you are moving fast and not paying close attention.

According to McAfee, AI travel scams cost victims an estimated $13 billion in 2025. The average victim lost around $1,000.

Here are the traps to watch for.

• Fake booking sites. You search for a cheap flight or hotel. You click an ad. The site looks real. You book and pay. No confirmation ever comes. Third party booking sites are a common entry point for this. If you did not type the URL yourself, be skeptical.

• Impersonated customer service. A chat window opens on what looks like an airline or hotel site. The agent sounds helpful and knowledgeable. They ask for your card details or personal info to verify or process your request.

• Urgent deal traps. You get an offer. Limited time, huge discount, act now. The pressure is intentional. It is designed to make you move before you think.

Here's how to protect yourself.

• Book directly. Go to the airline or hotel's official website. Type the URL yourself. Do not click ads in search results.

• Check the URL before you pay. Scam sites use addresses that look close but are slightly off. Think de1ta.com instead of delta.com.

• Never give card info in a chat window. Real airline and hotel support will not ask for your full credit card number through chat or text.

• Call instead of clicking. If you need help with a booking, call the airline directly. Use the number on their official site or on the back of your card. Not the number a chat agent gives you.

• Use a credit card, not debit. Credit cards give you better fraud protection. Unauthorized charges are easier to dispute.

• Turn on transaction alerts. Most banks let you set up real time notifications for charges. If something unexpected hits your account, you will know right away.

Back to Maria.

Maria made one mistake that cost her everything. She moved too fast.

The delay was stressful. The offer felt real. Sarah knew her name. All of that created a moment where slowing down felt unnecessary.

But here is what she could have done differently.

She could have checked the URL before trusting the site. She could have asked herself why a customer service agent needed her full card number through a chat window. She could have closed the chat, gone directly to the airline's official site, and called the number listed there.

None of that takes more than two minutes. But in a stressful moment at the airport, two minutes feels like forever.

That is exactly what scammers count on.

Bottom line.

Travel scams have always existed. But AI has made them harder to spot and easier to fall for. The good news is that a few simple habits go a long way.

Book direct. Verify before you click. And if something feels urgent or off, slow down. That pressure you feel is the whole point.