Fraudsters stole £6.7 million from 4,700 unsuspecting holidaymakers and other travellers in one year according to ABTA.

The effects are often much more than simply stolen money with almost half (2,245) of victims saying that it also had had a significant impact on their health or financial well-being.

The most common types of travel fraud relate to the sale of airline tickets (47%) and accommodation booking (38%).

These are only the reported figures of course as many people do not report that they’ve been scammed.

The numbers of people reporting travel fraud to the police jumps in the summer and in December. This is a clear indication that fraudsters are targeting the peak holiday periods and the people heading home to visit friends and family.

The visiting friends and family market is particularly attractive to fraudsters offering fake flight tickets and package arrangements. Where destinations were reported by victims, 54% said they had been intending to travel to Africa and 24% to Asia.

The Most Common Travel Booking Frauds

1. Holiday accommodation – holiday accommodation fraudsters set up fake websites, hack into legitimate accounts and post fake adverts on websites and social media.
2. Airline tickets – where a customer believes they are booking a flight but receive a fake ticket or they pays for a ticket that never turns up. In 2017, flights to Africa and the Indian sub-continent were particularly targeted.
3. Sports and religious trips– a popular target for fraud due to limited availability of tickets and consequently higher prices.
4. Caravanning – Action fraud reported a number of consumers reporting being the victim of fraud relating to mobile home holidays.

Top tips to avoid becoming a travel fraud victim

• Stay safe online: Check the web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name – such as going from .co.uk to .org
• Do your research: Do a thorough online search to check the company’s credentials. If a company is defrauding people there is a good chance that consumers will post details of their experiences, and warnings about the company.
• Look for the logo: Check whether the company is a member of a recognised trade body such as ABTA. If you have any doubts, you can verify membership of ABTA online, at www.abta.com.
• Wherever possible, pay by credit card and be wary about paying directly into a private individual’s bank account.
• Check documentation: You should study terms and conditions and be very wary of any companies that don’t provide any at all. When booking through a Holiday Club or Timeshare, get the contract thoroughly vetted by a solicitor before signing up.
• Use your instincts: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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There are many common scams to be found in tourist resorts and you should keep your wits about you.

The most common ones reported recently include:-

1. The Spilled Drink

This is a pickpocketing trick – one criminal distracts you by accidently spilling something on you or at least claiming to have done so while the other criminal picks your pocket. Keep your valuables secure and beware distractions.

2. Changing Money

It’s always best to exchange currency before leaving home but sometimes you need to change more – banks usually give the best conversion rates, but sometimes street dealers offer bargain rates. Be very careful as you may end up with fake notes or out of date notes that you cannot use.

3. Tour Guides

At many tourist spots, there are professional tour guides but often there can be others offering guided tours and you can be taken for a ‘ride’ you don’t want at an exorbitant price or left somewhere afterwards that you don’t want to visit.

4. Designer Clothes

This is a complex scam based on designer clothing, so the criminals pick their targets carefully. A well dressed man or woman asks for directions. They seem agitated and explain they are late for an important event and want to thank you by giving you designer clothing, which appears to be genuine. Then they claim to have run out of money for petrol and seek to borrow a small amount. The designer items turn out to be fake and worthless and you have been conned.

5. Taxi Rides

It is always advisable to use official taxis where available as once you get into an unlicensed taxi you have no control on where you are taken and the prices can be exorbitant.

6. Photo Opportunity

Many tourist sites have people in costume wandering around who can tell you about the history of the site and pose for photographs with you. But, some are criminals and will stand by you for a photo without being asked and then demand a high price for the photo. Do check before taking photos of anyone in costume.

If you have any experiences with scammers, spammers or time-waster do let me know, by email.