Consumers were defrauded of more than £15 million in holiday scams in the 12 months to March, according to Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.
New data from Action Fraud shows the centre received 6,457 reports of holiday fraud in the period, with victims losing a combined £15,319,057 – 41% up on the previous year.
Victims suffered an average loss of £2,372, with more than £4.6 million lost in the four months from May to the August peak holiday period.
Action Fraud released the figures to coincide with the launch of a national awareness campaign today, urging consumers to “think twice before booking a holiday”.
The campaign slogan warns: ‘Don’t get burnt before you’re on the beach.’
Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud, said: “With summer only just around the corner, we enter a period when fraudsters ramp up efforts to catch out unsuspecting members of the public.
“Scammers prey on people wanting to find a good deal online – whether cheap flights, great hotels close to the beach at discounted rates or package holidays that undercut well-known travel operators.”
She noted: “When booking a holiday, it’s important to do your research before handing over any money and double check any website.”
Smith warned: “If it sounds too good to be true, it most definitely is.”
Anna Bowles, head of consumers and enforcement at the Civil Aviation Authority which runs the Atol consumer financial-protection scheme, added: “Before booking any trip abroad it is worth doing some homework before you part with any money.
“Research the company you’re booking through – check reviews and ensure your booking includes all the extras you’re expecting.”
She recommended using the atol.org website to check a trip is financially protected by Atol and suggested consumers also “consider paying by credit card and taking out travel insurance” as soon as they book, arguing: “This will add extra layers of protection against anything going wrong with your booking.”
Action Fraud said the most-frequent frauds involve ‘clone’ comparison sites, airline sites and holiday sites, where victims assume they are on a genuine site but the URL is wrong.
It warned defrauded consumers may receive fake confirmation emails or booking references which mean they remain unaware of the fraud until at the airport.
Action Fraud also identified an increase in fraudsters using fake Atol numbers.
Consumers aged in their 20s and 40s accounted for 44% of the reported fraud losses, with London accounting for almost one in four (23%) of cases. West Midlands and Greater Manchester almost 5% each, and Thames Valley 4%.
Anyone falling victim to fraud, should contact their bank and report what has happened to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040 or Police Scotland on 101.
Information on how to check an Atol can be found here
Abta also provides advice to consumers on avoiding fraud when booking holidays.