A new consumer campaign to raise awareness of the dangers posed by online holiday booking fraud is being backed by Abta.
The association has joined forces with Get Safe Online, Action Fraud and the City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to encourage consumers to ‘look before you book’.
The campaign, part of Abta’s broader ‘look for the logo’ initiative, also provides advice on how to avoid becoming a victim.
The campaign will encourage consumers to take important steps to avoid being defrauded including looking for Abta membership when they book, researching the travel companies they book with and using secure payment methods online.
The campaign will include new research from the NFIB looking at the number of victims of holiday fraud and common types of fraud.
Campaign partners have also produced case studies, a video and new advice for consumers on how to avoid becoming a victim of holiday booking fraud.
Abta head of communications Victoria Bacon said: “This type of fraud is not just devastating for members of the public who lose their money, it tarnishes their experience of booking a holiday and that’s bad for our industry.
“The police are becoming increasingly concerned about this type of fraud so this campaign aims to educate consumers on common tactics used by fraudsters and what to look out for when they’re booking their travel arrangements.
“Clearly, booking with an Abta member is one of the simplest ways to ensure you’re booking with a legitimate company, so that’s an important message for us to get across.”
A leaflet is available for download at abta.com