All you need to know about holiday fraud

Summer has arrived and Britain has been basking in hot temperatures, resulting in a record-breaking 7.3 million people opting for a staycation so far this year.

With the English weather unpredictable at best, it might not be long before the weather changes and people are looking for last minute holiday deals, exposing them to travel booking frauds.

Bogus travel companies are plentiful no matter what time of year, with fraudsters attempting to lure potential customers with cheap flights that don’t exist, low price holidays and one-time-only great deals, requesting payment by direct bank transfer.

Protect yourself. If you are paying for a holiday, use a credit card – it offers increased protection. Why? The Consumer Credit Act ensures credit cards provide protection for purchases above £100 and below £30,000, so if the company that’s sold you something goes bust, or if an item you have bought is broken and the supplier won’t sort things out, you can still get a refund. Debit cards do not offer this protection.

There are other ways which could protect you from holiday fraud:

1. Resist responding to unsolicited calls, texts or emails offering holidays at low prices
2. Look for the ‘https’ and locked padlock icon in the address bar before entering your payment details
3. Don’t feel pressured into making a booking; take your time to do your research and ensure the company you are booking with is reputable
4. If booking through a travel company, why not check with the hotel/airline that your booking does exist?

If you have been affected by holiday fraud, or any other scam, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or visiting their website.