Holidaymakers are being warned to be on their guard after Lloyds Banking Group saw a 7% spike in travel scams in the past year.
The bank found that nearly half of holiday scams affecting its customers originate on Facebook and Facebook Marketplace. Its customers lost £765 on average and those aged 35 to 44 made up more than a quarter of victims.
Based on analysis of holiday scams reported by Lloyds customers between November 2021 and March 2024, the most common were:
- Fake flight tickets, sparked partly by people turning to less reputable websites and social media due to rising costs. Scammers create fake ads or pretend to sell airline tickets they can no longer use, offering a discount for an upfront fee. Once they have the money, they disappear.
- Caravan purchase scams, where scammers lure potential buyers using photos of vehicles from genuine ads or Google Images.
- Fake holiday home rentals on booking websites also feature stolen or fake photos. Scammers may take deposits through legitimate sites first before asking for further payments via PayPal or bank transfer. Victims may only discover they’ve been conned when they arrive at their accommodation to find it doesn’t exist or belongs to someone else.
- Booking scams can be particularly clever, as hackers may hijack booking systems to pose as genuine hotels on legitimate platforms and steal card or bank details.
When booking your next holiday, make sure you follow these seven steps:
- Buy tickets and hotel stays from trusted retailers or directly from the airline or hotel.
- Be careful on social media. If buying a caravan or motorhome, arrange to view the item in person before handing over any form of deposit.
- When booking stays, look for valid reviews on websites such as TripAdvisor. Always use your debit or credit card.
- If you’re booking through websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com, only pay through their systems. Do not transfer money directly to the host.
- If you’re booking a hotel through a third party such as Booking.com and receive what appears to be a message from the hotel asking for more money, don’t pay this without contacting Booking.com or the hotel directly.
- Pay attention to warnings. Your bank should provide an alert when you set up a new payee or make an unusual payment. Make sure you follow any advice offered.
- Don’t cave in to pressure. If a seller is trying to rush you or bombarding you with messages, take as much time as you need to make your decision.