Action Fraud has launched a new holiday fraud campaign urging people to do their research before booking after new data revealed victims lost more than £11 million to scammers last year.
While this figure was less than the £12 million lost in 2023, the national crime and fraud reporting agency pointed out the average loss per victim was roughly the same, at £1,844 a head.
In total, there were 6,066 reports of holiday fraud made to Action Fraud last year, with 647 made in July, the worst month of 2024.
More than half of the victims mentioned social media platforms, while others suggested scammers had lied about offering financial protection from agencies such as ABTA, ATOL and ABTOT.
Urging people to be on the lookout for ‘suspiciously enticing offers online’, Action Fraud said they should ‘stay alert and do their research’.
Oliver Shaw, Commander for Fraud and Cybercrime, City of London Police, added: “At this time of year we know that many people will be on the lookout to book their summer getaway. Whilst searching for the best deals, we advise everyone to be alert for criminals who will try to take advantage of this busy period, promoting fake holidays online or through social media – often with suspiciously low prices.
“Before clicking that ‘book’ button, Action Fraud is encouraging everyone to not only look for the usual logos, like ABTA, ABTOT and ATOL, but do some extra research to make sure the holiday deal is genuine. We wouldn’t want anyone to be tripped up and find their holiday doesn’t exist.
“When booking your summer holiday, please remember to Stop! Think Fraud – and use Action Fraud’s advice to stay safe online. We also recommend that you avoid using bank transfers where possible, as this can be a sign of a fraudulent deal, and ideally pay using a credit card to benefit from the additional consumer protection this provides”.
Other tips issued by Action Fraud include only providing personal details on e-commerce sites at the checkout, only providing essential data, not creating an account unless intending to become a regular customer and looking out for suspicious links.
ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer said: “Fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated methods to hoodwink the public but one of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to ensure that your travel company is a member of ABTA and to follow the fraud prevention advice and tips we have put together on abta.com.”
CAA Head of ATOL Michael Budge said: “More people book their summer holidays in the first few months of the year, than at any other time, with a third of holidays booked in the first quarter.
“We encourage those booking getaways to make smart decisions and to avoid missing out on key financial protection. Holidaymakers should research thoroughly before booking their next holiday, as there can be a risk of getting caught out by potentially booking with fraudulent companies.
“Before you press that book now button, make sure you have used our Check an ATOL tool to make sure the holiday provider you are using holds an ATOL licence, and you have considered purchasing an ATOL protected holiday.”
ABTOT Membership Director Samantha Bradbury added: “Our members pride themselves on delivering amazing holidays and exceptional customer service. Sadly, some fraudulent individuals care only about taking people’s money and delivering nothing but disappointment. Holiday payments can be significant sums of money – make sure you protect it in every way possible by booking with a financially protected ABTOT member – you can check they are a legitimate travel organiser and an ABTOT member through our online directories or by calling ABTOT direct. Look for the logo always and check out a travel company thoroughly before parting with any money.”
