It was to be a poignant break for Tim Moore and his extended family. They planned to scatter his mother’s ashes on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, where she had lived for 18 years. Moore contacted a local holiday lettings agent and selected a villa to rent for the 12-day stay. But as soon as the price was agreed, a hacker intercepted the email exchange with the agent, and tricked Moore into paying $5,000 (£4,040) to a rogue account. The money was never seen again, and Moore had to stump up a second time to secure the villa through the agent.
March is the month when thousands rush to book summer holidays abroad before the best deals are bagged. It’s also the season of scams designed to siphon off travellers’ savings. Some, like fake villa websites and implausibly cheap flight offers, are well publicised and relatively easy to spot.
