Campaign launched to combat holiday booking fraud

Friday, 19 Apr, 2013 0

Consumers are being warned about the dangers of holiday booking fraud in a joint campaign between ABTA, Get Safe Online, Action Fraud and the City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau.

The campaign will urge consumers to take important steps to avoid being defrauded, including looking for ABTA membership, researching travel companies before they book and using secure payment methods online.

New police research shows fraudsters are using fake websites, false advertising, bogus phone calls and email scams to con unsuspecting holidaymakers and travellers out of thousands of pounds each year, and sometimes even leaving them stranded overseas.

"This type of fraud is not just devastating for members of the public who lose their money, it tarnishes their experience of booking a holiday and that’s bad for our industry," said Victoria Bacon, ABTA’s head of communications.

"The police are becoming increasingly concerned about this type of fraud so this campaign aims to educate consumers on common tactics used by fraudsters and what to look out for when they’re booking their travel arrangements.

"Clearly, booking with an ABTA member is one of the simplest ways to ensure you’re booking with a legitimate company, so that’s an important message for us to get across."

A leaflet with advice and case studies is available for download at www.abta.com.

Bev

Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.

A state like no other. A place known for togetherness, celebration and happiness. In Louisiana, we call it “joie de...

Virtuoso is the leading global network of agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel, with more than 20,000 advisors. We...

Why Avalon Waterways: Happiness flows on an Avalon river cruise. From Asia to South America and Europe to the Nile,...

City Cruises is a leading operator of sightseeing, dining and charter services operating in London, York and Poole. We offer...

Since 1932, P&O Cruises has offered Aussies and Kiwis the opportunity to take to the seas and have the holiday...

River cruising is a treat for the senses, allowing you to see, touch, feel and experience the world like never...

From the beginning, ATI’s philosophy has been “innovation, not duplication.“ Developing specialized technology solutions to connect over 30,000 accommodation, attracti...

This is Jersey. An island shaped by the sea where some of the most astonishing tides in the world circle...

Arival advances the business of creating amazing in-destination experiences. We provide events, insights, and community for creators and sellers of...

With long periods of Thailand’s History, according to evidences and studies, Sukhothai was the first kingdom of Thailand. At that time, an early Thai...

Jet2.com is the UK’s third largest airline, flying from ten UK airports to more than 60 destinations across Europe and beyond....

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. FOR THOSE WHO WANT A LITTLE MORE. South Australia. It’s a beautiful place. A place for the restless,...

Blue Diamond Resorts consistently goes above and beyond guest expectations by delivering groundbreaking vacation experiences through our exceptional collection of...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...