Police are warning holiday makers to stay vigilant when booking up for fun in the sun, after new figures reveal that £15million has been lost to scammers over the course of the last year.
Holiday fraud sees con-artists using a range tactics to encourage people to part with their hard-earned cash – from cloning comparison and airline websites to bogus agents advertising so-called getaways on social media.
The data, which was released by Action Fraud today (Monday) to coincide with the launch of their awareness campaign shows these summer scams have risen by 41 per cent across the country in the last year alone.
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Across the North East (Northumbria), a total of 87 people fell victim to this type of fraud between April last year and this March – a two per cent increase from the previous year.
Detective Inspector Phil Thoburn from the Force’s Fraud team has championed the awareness campaign and is urging anyone who comes across a suspected scam, to report it immediately.
He said: "Summer is fast-approaching and we know that many families, couples and groups of friends are counting down the days until their holiday or eagerly looking for a good deal. Traditionally this is the time of year we see fraudsters really ramping up their efforts.
"Scammers will prey on people wanting to find a good deal on flights, hotels or a full package, but sadly those deals which look too good to be true often come with an even heavier price tag. We’re asking everyone to do their research, use trusted sellers, read their reviews and look for any hidden extras which might sting you later.
"Check your trip is ATOL protected and if you can, even pay using a credit card so you have additional protection if anything goes wrong."
If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Top tips to avoid falling victim to holiday fraud
Do your own research -
Booking your trip via a company you haven’t used before? Do some research to check they're legitimate. Read feedback from sources that you trust, such as consumer websites.
You can find a company’s official website by searching for them on Google or another trusted search engine.
Look for the logo-
Check whether the company is an ABTA Member. Look for the ABTA logo on the company's website. If you have any doubts, you can verify membership of ABTA online on their website. If you're booking a flight as part of a package holiday and want more information about ATOL protection, or would like to check whether a company is an ATOL holder, visit the ATOL or CAA website.
Pay safe -
Book your holiday with a credit card, if you have one. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases, and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances.
Using a credit card (rather than a debit card) also means that if your payment details are stolen, your main bank account won’t be directly affected.
Secure your email -
If your email is hacked, it could allow a criminal to access information about your holiday booking. Use three random words to create a strong password for your email that’s different to all your other passwords. If you’re offered two-step verification to protect your email and social media accounts, always use it.
For a full list of tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud, please visit https://www.atol.org/about-atol/how-to-check-for-protection/ or https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/planning-and-booking-a-holiday/how-avoid-travel-related-fraud.
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