Holiday scams and fake travel deals are on the increase and no matter how savvy you are, anyone can be caught out. Scams come in a variety of forms and are particularly prevalent at this time of year as fraudsters prey on those excitedly making holiday plans.
Bumper holiday adverts appear on legitimate websites such as AirBnb and Booking.com featuring fake photos and images. Deposits are then taken by seemingly legitimate means but full balance payment is requested by bank transfer. This means that unsuspecting holidaymakers only realizing when they pitch up to discover their accommodation is nonexistent and there is no booking.
In addition scammers can hijack booking systems to pose as genuine accomodation providers. Fraudulent emails are sent asking for confirmation of personal/bank details in relation to the booking and holidaymakers are defrauded when the respond with this information.
Last summer booking.com warned that AI is driving an explosion in holiday travel scams, shockingly anywhere from 500-900% increase in the last 18 months. What travel scams do you need to be aware of, what can you do to avoid holiday scams and what action can you take if you have been scammed? Read on to find out.
Types of Holiday Scams
There are lots of holiday scams to watch our for and they include:
Holiday phishing scams- These are used to gain control of financial details. Scammers can cleverly mimic emails and correspondence and make them look authentic. Equally links to make bookings are very convincing and AI can generate really realistic photos and wording that can catch out the savviest of consumers.
Fake social media support messages – When passengers reach out on social media for help, scammers reply posing as the airline, tour operator or agent.
Non existent bookings and clickbait social media ads
Tourism scams – with these there is often the offer of ‘help’ from locals with directions leading to requests for payment by way of thanks
Copycat websites whereby a fee is charged to process/ renew a document or health insurance card such as EHIC (now GHIC) These are free to apply for from the official NHS website.
Airport parking scams where scammers claim to have a ’safe place’ for your car but that’s not the case- check any firms have official accreditation and are listed on Companies House.
How to avoid holiday scams
Do your research with due diligence, the devil is in the detail, ensure you check it. If it’s too good to be true then it usually is.
Check reviews of any holiday providers, operators and companies thoroughly. Google search the address of the property being advertised, use reverse image search to see if images appear anywhere else on the internet.
Watch out for red flags of any holiday ads or special ‘offers’ – these include unrealistically cheap prices, poor grammar and communication and a lack of contact details for the company, Most scam outfits purposely do not have a telephone number for example.
Be wary of websites which don’t work properly or have sections missing and the urgency to make time pressure decisions. Refuse any requests to move communication away on a site such as AirBnb to whatsapp or other means.
NEVER action a bank transfer or provide your bank details in response to one of these ads. Use a credit card instead if the offer is legitimate to benefit from section 75 cover for payments. Don’t agree to Paypal transfers especially if the transfer is made as ‘Paypal Friends and Family’ as this reduces the protection Paypal can offer.
Don’t DIY by booking flights and accommodation separately. Book a package holiday with a trusted travel agent for the most consumer protection under the Package and Linked Travel Arrangements 2018.
Hotels and travel companies should work proactively to safeguard their booking systems and educate customers about potential scams. Consulting hospitality lawyers can help businesses strengthen their terms and conditions, implement fraud prevention measures, and address legal disputes arising from fraudulent bookings
How to report scams and what action to take
Report suspicious emails- report@phishing.gov.uk
Forward any suspicious texts to 7726
Report suspect scams immediately to holiday provider/operator/agency
Contact your bank and cancel/ freeze any relevant payment cards.
Routinely check your credit report to scan for any unusual activity.
I really hope you have happy and safe trips this Christmas and that these tips help you avoid being caught out by seasonal scams.
