Abta has warned the trade to beware of “hysteria” over fraud in travel but said firms should take the threat seriously and consider implementing enhanced security systems to combat criminals.
However, the association appeared to rule out introducing standardised security rules for members or an industry-wide system to fight bogus agents, saying it was the responsibility of individual firms to implement suitable measures.
Speaking on a Travel Weekly webcast in which panellists discussed fraud attempts, including criminals posing as agents to dupe operators, Abta head of membership Danny Waine praised a Pin system introduced recently by Jetset and urged other firms to follow suit.
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But responding to a call from TravelTime World owner Jackie Steadman for the association to “stand up” and fight misuse of the Abta logo by fraudsters, he said the organisation’s focus remained on supporting members through education and raising awareness.
Waine highlighted potential barriers to the implementation of systems such as Jetset’s, which requires agents to disclose a preset number to confirm their identity. These included operator fears about creating undue concern and extra complexity to agent communications.
“We need to make sure we’re not creating a whole hysteria around fraud,” he said, but added it would be “great” if Jetset’s system – adopted by 1,280 of its agent partners – became an industry standard.
“It’s down to the business to decide what they want to do,” he said.
“One of the reasons operators haven’t [put in extra security] in the past is because it could be a potential blocker to booking.”
However, he added: “[Jetset] is leading the way. I’d encourage more tour operators to do that because it protects all of us.”
Steadman agreed there was a growing issue of fraudsters using genuine Abta numbers and company names to book via tour operators and insisted the association should take the lead on clamping down on the practice.
Police ‘not interested’
“The police are not interested because it’s a commercial fraud. The consumer is not being affected, it is the agent who is carrying this cost,” she said, adding: “I do think Abta needs to stand up on this. We have a misuse of the Abta number.”
Jetset sales director Adrian Smyth said bogus agents had begun to target its call centre in January, typically to make last-minute, high-value bookings out of hours and quoting a genuine Abta member number.
He admitted there had been an internal debate about whether to introduce the Pin system in case it presented a barrier to agents, but said its success so far meant it was likely to become mandatory later this year.
Travel being targeted
Barry Gooch, chairman of anti-fraud organisation Profit, said travel was “particularly being targeted at the moment”, adding: “We are seeing a rise in direct frauds against agents and suppliers.”
He blamed a lack of adequate security or “cutting corners” by travel companies for rising fraud, adding he had advised consortia of a method of protecting agency numbers in 2014, but nothing had been actioned.
“Until it actually happens, a company often doesn’t realise [fraud] is going on and therefore doesn’t put the measures in place,” he said.
“We get called in quite often and it’s stuff that could have been overcome if they had just put in some basic free systems.”
Gooch echoed Waine, insisting: “We don’t want to frighten people.”
But he stressed extra security is worth implementing even if it slightly slows the booking process.
“It’s much more costly to deal with the fallout from a fraud,” he added.
More: Lack of police resources means most frauds are ‘not investigated’
Lyne Barlow sentencing: Trade urged to step up fraud fight as fake agent jailed