A warning has been issued as the aviation regulator reported a surge in fraudsters targeting upcoming sporting events involving overseas travel.
Fans attempting to get flights and accommodation for the Rugby World Cup Finals in France from September 8 are being urged to avoid getting scammed as demand soars to visit the country.
The Civil Aviation Authority urged those looking to travel to events over the coming months to be on the lookout for scammers preying on fans and to check for Atol financial protection before booking.
Fraudsters are also targeting other events including the return of European football for British teams and the Cricket World Cup in India.
The CAA has previously stepped in when a non-atom licensed travel business unlawfully sold trips to fans trying to get to the Champions League final.
CAA head of Atol Michael Budge said: “Unfortunately, big sporting events such as the Rugby World Cup Finals often kick off particularly focused scams, including fake deals being posted online and criminals posing as reputable travel agents.
“We don’t want to see people being disappointed or miss any oversees sporting trip, so our top tips are to check via our website if the company is Atol licensed before booking, but also take other appropriate steps such as using a credit card, taking out travel insurance and be mindful that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.”