For many, our holidays are the most important part of any year. Whether it be that dream holiday you have been saving years for, or just a short break to get away from it all, we all get excited about going away. More often than not, we end up booking our entire holiday online. Despite this being a quick and easy way to book everything, it is a prime opportunity for criminals to take advantage of your desire to get away.
Criminals often set up fake websites offering ‘cheap travel deals’ which are used to obtain your money and information. Websites may look like that of genuine organisations but subtle changes in the URL can indicate that they are fraudulent. You may also be directed away from secure payment channels to ‘avoid missing a booking’ to pay via bank transfer or through fake payment pages. The tickets advertised
may be fake or not exist.
Flights and packages: If you’re booking a package holiday through a company, you can check if they’re an ABTA member by looking for the logo on their website. Furthermore, you should go to the ABTA website and verify their membership. If the package also includes flights, you can go to the ATOL or Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website to check if you are protected, and if that company is an ATOL holder.
Booking accommodation: Criminals can expertly design websites that seem professional and convincing, using images of luxury villas and apartments that don’t exist to convince you they’re trusted and genuine. Make sure you do your own research before booking. Before paying online or providing any confidential details, type in the website address you know to be correct (instead of following a link) and ensure the payment page is secure (begins with ‘https’ and has a locked padlock in the browser window frame).
Top tips for booking your holiday
• Check reviews on Tripadvisor or similar sites.
• Check the accommodation actually exists by finding it on Google Maps.
• If you’re booking accommodation via Airbnb, always keep communications and payment on the Airbnb platform, and don’t be tempted off it as this may indicate an attempt at fraud.
• Never pay by bank transfer. Paying by credit card means more chance of getting your money back if something goes wrong.
• Check that travel agents and tour operators you book holidays and travel through are members of trade associations such as ABTA or ATOL, by checking on these bodies’ websites.
• Enter the address of the website you plan to book a holiday through, at www.getsafeonline.org/checkawebsite to check if it is likely to be legitimate or fraudulent.
• Keep confirmations and payment receipts, and check bank / credit card statements for irregular entries.
Holiday cancellation refund scams
Another holiday scam to watch out for is that of holiday refund scams which continue to be a target for fraudsters. Having your flights or holidays cancelled by flight operators and travel companies can be stressful, even more so when you’re seeking a refund. Criminals use these opportunities to defraud people in a number of ways, including via phishing emails, ‘spoofed’ calls or social media posts or ads.
Phishing emails
Criminals send out phishing emails advising people how to claim refunds with links leading to fake websites that are used to steal personal and financial information or to infect your device with malware. These emails may appear to be from airlines, banks, travel providers or other trusted organisations using official branding to convince you they’re genuine.
TIP: Check for bad grammar, urgent demands, inconsistencies in email address or domain names and suspicious attachments.
Spoofed calls
Criminals call you pretending to be representatives/’refund agents’ from impacted organisations, or from your bank claiming they can help you get an immediate refund if you provide them with your bank details. You may be asked to pay an upfront fee as payment for handling refund claims. Once your bank details have been shared with the criminal, you fail to receive your refund and they will have access to your money.
TIP: Never give out personal or bank details over the phone.
Social Media
Criminals can create fake social media accounts imitating that of real organisations, often claiming to be able to assist with refunds/claims. The links contained in the posts ultimately divert you to fake websites that require your personal and financial information in order to proceed. However, once your details are entered you fail to receive any help and could subsequently become a victim of a scam.
TIP: Fully check the legitimacy of a social media account such as their followers, interactions, activity and verifications before interacting with them.
If you lose money to fraud, always report it immediately to your bank, as this will increase your chance of getting your money back and the fraudster being traced. Also report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre, on 0300 123 20 40 or at www.actionfraud.police.uk. In Scotland, report fraud to Police Scotland by calling 101.