Planning a dream trip to Europe sounds amazing until you get scammed out of your vacation funds. You might have heard about the new ETIAS visa waiver required for travelers, but there is a massive catch right now. Cybercriminals are setting up fake websites to steal your money and passport details before the system even starts. Here is exactly what you need to know to protect yourself from these clever travel scams.
The system is not even open yet
Here is the main deal you should remember about ETIAS, it is actually not open right now and won’t launch until 2027 at the earliest. That means every single website asking you to pay money or fill out forms today is trying to scam you. There is no way to get this paper now so please do not fall for it.
Frontex found over 100 fake sites
The European Union border agency called Frontex has already discovered over 100 fake ETIAS websites operating online. These sites look incredibly professional with blue and yellow colors and fake European logos to trick you. They are multiplying fast because travelers are just trying to follow the rules and be prepared.
Scammers are charging huge fake fees
Shady websites are out there taking people’s money by asking for 50 to 178 euros for an application that does not exist. You pay them, and they completely disappear without giving you a thing in return. A few of these sites will even charge a small test amount on your card, and if that works out, they go ahead and steal much more.
The real thing will cost 20 euros
When the official system finally launches it will only cost 20 euros for most adults. The European Commission officially raised this fee from the original 7 euros back in 2025. It will also be completely free for travelers under 18 and over 70 so do not let anyone charge your whole family.
There is only one official website
You have to be super careful about where you click because the only real portal will be travel-europe.europa.eu/etias. Any website ending in a normal dot com or dot org is operated by a third party and is not the official European Union government page. Bookmark that exact web address right now so you do not accidentally fall for a Google search ad later.
Beware of early access promises
A lot of these scams promise you early access or priority processing if you pay a premium fee today. The truth is there is no priority lane and the official system will be fully automated for everyone once it goes live. Anyone offering to fast track your European travel authorization is just lying to your face.
Identity theft is a real threat
Losing a little bit of money is annoying but handing over your actual passport number to criminals is much worse. These sites collect your most sensitive personal information and then either do nothing or sell your data. You might end up dealing with serious identity theft right before you are supposed to fly across the world.
Do not download fake mobile apps
The European Union plans to release an official ETIAS mobile app but they have not released it yet. Any app you see right now in your phone app store claiming to process these waivers is completely unauthorized. Just stick to the official website on your computer when the time finally comes.
What to do if you got scammed
If you already typed your credit card info into one of these fake portals you need to contact your bank immediately. You should ask them for a chargeback and tell them the charge was fraudulent. You will also want to keep a close eye on your bank statements and consider changing your normal passwords just to be safe.
Just wait for official news
The absolute best thing you can do right now is absolutely nothing. The European Union will make a massive public announcement months before they actually start requiring travelers to have this document. Put your wallet away and just focus on planning the fun parts of your vacation instead.
