More than 5,000 people were the victims of holiday booking fraud last year with a total loss of £7 million according to research. Travel association ABTA said victims lost an average of £1,380 each after buying fake airline tickets, accommodation or organised tours. ABTA said fraudsters were using increasingly professional methods to target people who are looking for good deals.
Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA, said: “ABTA sees at first-hand the damage caused by travel fraudsters after customers find out their much anticipated holiday or trip to visit family and friends does not actually exist.
“The cost to victims is not just financial; this crime causes very real emotional distress. Fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated methods to target destinations and times of year when demand is high and availability limited, as they know people will be looking for good deals.”
More than half of crimes related to the sale of airline tickets – scammers will usually target people visiting family and friends in Africa and the Indian subcontinent.
One in four cases involve accommodation such as payments to stay in upmarket villas which are either fake or are being offered without the owner’s consent. Spain and France were among the destinations most affected.
Tips to avoid becoming a victim of holiday fraud:
- Check the booking agent’s web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name – such as going from .co.uk to .org
- Check whether the company is a member of a recognised trade body such as ABTA
- Don’t just rely on one review – do a thorough online search to check the company’s credentials
- Wherever possible, pay by credit card and be wary about paying directly into a private individual’s bank account
- Study receipts, invoices as well as terms and conditions
- If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
The total loss to holiday booking fraud in 2018 is an increase from £6.7 million in 2017.
