Banks and travel agents urge online caution as holiday scams on the rise
Holidaymakers have been urged to exercise caution, after a rise in reports of holiday scams.
Santander UK reported a jump in total customer losses to such fraud in the second quarter of this year, with holiday-related scams used to steal £42,773.62 between April and June.
That followed research by payment service provider emerchantpay which suggested a third of holidaymakers have reported an increase in potential travel scams on social media over the past year.
And travel agents have advised that holidaymakers take care, follow some simple guidance and watch out for deals that seem too good to be true.
George Ralchev, head of risk at emerchantpay, said holidaymakers are being targeted by social media scammers “looking to take advantage of the peak travel season”.
Common tactics include the sale of fake holiday packages; apartment and villa rental scams in the UK and abroad; and requests for deposits by criminals who then disappear.
Santander said people should be cautious when browsing “limited time” or “one room remaining” deals and do extra checks, such as searching to see whether photos advertising a holiday exist elsewhere online.
They also suggested people should verify the booking independently by contacting the hotel, airline or travel provider directly, using details from their official website, to confirm the booking or offer is genuine.
And these views were echoed by Louise Mitchell, Gold Travel Counsellor with Eloura Journeys.
“The fake holiday scam is something that has been around for a long time, but it is getting more sophisticated,” she said. “Typically it is a beautiful picture of a stunning location - a villa or a hotel - with a great price. That should be the first red flag - if the price is just too good to be true then it probably is.
“Sometimes these places don’t exist, or you can turn up to find they have never heard of you and have no idea about your booking.
“Another issue is that payments are usually made by bank transfer, which is the least protected form of payment.”
Louise advised anyone booking a holiday to avoid making an impulse booking, particularly through social media, and to make sure whatever company they booked through had ATOL protection, which can help ensure you get a refund and get home safely if something goes wrong.
She also urged caution when faced with urgent emails claiming to be from flight companies or holiday firms.
“These are common scams and if you’ve not booked a holiday you’ll spot it straight away, but if you have flights booked and this email arrives you might naturally be more concerned and more tempted to follow any links, and that is something to be careful of.”
If you want to ensure your holiday isn’t ruined by scammers, here’s a few simple steps to follow
Pay By Credit Card
This is the most secure form of payment and can help ensure you get a refund if it turns out you have been scammed
Deal With People
When booking a holiday, or a holiday excursion, speaking to a travel agent or local expert in person is far safer than booking through a faceless online site.
Plan In Advance
Booking trips and excursions in advance leaves you less open to being rushed into booking something you’re not sure of because of a fear of missing out. It might not be as spontaneous, but is a lot safer.
Of course holidaymakers aren’t just targeted with fake destinations - many tourists have found themselves scammed into booking a fake tour or fake event while on holiday, and emerchantpay found that around 40% of holidaymakers said that they change their behaviour while on holiday due to financial safety concerns.
Avoiding social media advertising was again the top tip from Eloura Journeys, who advised booking excursions and adventures before setting off to avoid the temptation of amazing adventures that could be a one-way trip to being conned.
“It is a rising problem, with so many people wanting to go to certain sites that they’ve maybe seen on instagram, and if you’ve not booked in advance you might think the offer you’ve found online is the best option,” said Louise.
“If you book ahead of time then that pressure is removed”
Her colleague at Eloura Journeys, Travel Counsellor David Bishop, agreed and said the best way to find great deals on holiday was to speak to your hotel.
“Having that personal relationship is always best,” he said. “If you’re dealing with the concierge at a hotel for example, it’s absolutely in their interests to give you good advice and good contacts.
“Flexibility is important on a holiday, but if you don’t plan in advance and check the people offering these tours you are setting yourself up for a very good chance of being scammed.”
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