Holidaymakers warned to watch out for fake deals as…

Holidaymakers warned to watch out for fake deals as scammers take advantage of cost of living crisis

Holidaymakers have been urged to stay safe when booking their getaways as fraudsters try every trick in the book to try to steal their cash.

It's thought that shameless scammers are taking advantage of people's desperation to find good deals during the cost of living crisis, with 25% of people saying that they won't be able to afford a holiday if they are unable to find a good deal according to a recent survey. In the poll carried out by Opinium last month, a concerning one in 10 people also said that they would book a holiday through an unknown provider if it meant paying less.

Holiday bookings website Airbnb and online safety experts Get Safe Online have made fresh calls for people to be vigilant when booking their trips. Airbnb advises that anyone using its website to book should check reviews from other guests first, and also to ensure that they stay on its platform to book, pay and communicate with hosts, while Get Safe Online has given travellers tips on how to stay safe.

The Opinium survey of 2,000 holidaymakers also showed that one in six holidaymakers would book on the spot as soon as they were offered a price if it thought it would mean paying less. Similarly, 15% of people said they would risk paying directly via bank transfer if they were told it would work out cheaper.

Amanda Cupples, general manager for the UK and Northern Europe at Airbnb, said: "This year, many of us may be eager to save some pennies when booking a holiday, making it an ideal time for scammers to take advantage of those looking to find a good deal."

Tony Neate, CEO at Get Safe Online, added: "As the cost of living rises, we want to help protect everyone’s hard-earned cash and urge people to stay alert when it comes to booking a holiday. Trust your instincts and remember: if a deal looks too good to be true, then it probably is."

Here are the top three tips from Get Safe Online when it comes to booking a holiday:

Pay by credit card - Using a credit card, if you can, to book your travel and accommodation can give you added protection in the event that something goes wrong.
Be wary of deals that are 'too good to be true' - Unusually cheap holiday deals or excessively high deposits could indicate that a scammer is behind them, in which case you should end all communication and look elsewhere.
Never click on suspicious links - Ensure you don't click on any links that you aren't expecting, even if they look genuine - these links can often take you to a fake website that imitates a genuine company in a bid to trick you into parting with your cash.

As well as following these crucial tips, holidaymakers may also want to check whether the company they're planning to book with is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) - if they are, you will be entitled to a refund if the company goes bust. This is also the case when it comes to flights that are under the Air Travel Organisers Licence (Atol) protection scheme.

Michael Budge, head of Atol at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: "Even with the sharp rise in the cost of living, there is a real appetite to travel overseas this year. Deals can seem attractive, but before booking, we urge everyone to do some research to stay travel-savvy and minimise the risk of being scammed.

"Consumers tell us that they think it is important their holiday is protected by Atol and we want people to have peace of mind knowing they will not be left out of pocket if the worse were to happen between booking and travelling. Always check it is financially protected by Atol, watch out for hidden extras such as baggage fees and seat assignments, consider paying by credit card if you can and take out travel insurance when you book as these are all top tips for anyone looking to book a holiday."

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