Holiday scams you need to be aware of this summer
As peak travel season nears, Which? is warning holidaymakers about the scams that could take the shine off your summer trip.
Action Fraud figures show there were 6,640 reports of holiday fraud in 2023, with £12.3m lost to scammers.
Victims experienced a substantial average loss of £1,851, plus the misery of being cruelly tricked and in many cases having their plans ruined.
Read on to learn about the scams you'll need to be on your guard for this summer.
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1. Booking scams
In March, a group of holidaymakers from Birmingham travelled to Belgium for a short break and arrived to find the holiday house they had rented on Airbnb was occupied by tenants.
This scam also works in reverse – in 2022, an unsuspecting London resident was inundated by tourists arriving at her home after it was fraudulently listed as a holiday let on Booking.com.
While fraudulent listings are sometimes published on respectable booking sites (after evading security measures), we've also seen examples of criminals cloning well-known sites or publishing their fake 'deals' on social media.
Entering your details on a bogus site can be a particularly costly mistake, as your personal and financial details fall into the clutches of fraudsters.
- When booking on well-known sites, communicate and pay via that platform. Requests to move conversations to a different medium or direct payments elsewhere are a red flag.
- Check website addresses carefully – cloned sites may look very similar to genuine ones, but the address won't be identical.
- Don't click on links in emails or texts purporting to be from holiday booking sites. Instead, go directly to the verified websites and find the deals yourself.
- Pay with a debit or credit card to ensure you benefit from chargeback or Section 75 protection if something goes wrong. Also, avoid paying by bank transfer or other less protected methods.
2. Bracelet scams
This is an old scam, but continues to be a problem for tourists visiting popular European cities.
Viral videos on TikTok warn of a scam dogging markets and beaches in tourism hotspots.
Scammers approach unwary tourists and tie friendship bracelets on their wrists in such a way that they can only be removed by cutting them off.
The victim is then pressured to pay for the unwanted item or, in some cases, is pickpocketed during the encounter.
The scam has been reported across Europe, but is said to be particularly prevalent outside major landmarks in Paris.
3. ATM skimming
Fraudsters can install 'skimming' devices on cash machines to steal banking information from victims.
A skimmer is a small device that stores the details from a bank card’s magnetic strip, including the card number, expiration date and the name of the account holder. These devices allow scammers to quickly access large amounts of data.
This happens both in the UK and overseas. However, holidaymakers are particularly vulnerable because they won't necessarily know what overseas cash machines should look like.
Fraudsters can also make use of other devices such as hidden cameras, false keyboards and even old-fashioned 'shoulder surfing' to steal banking information.
- Look for any scratches, glue residue, tape or parts of the machine that look slightly different in colour or newer than the rest. Check if the LED light above the card slot is missing.
- Wiggle the machine to see if it's attached properly.
- Check the card slot as it may be slightly wider than usual if it's hiding a skimmer.
- Check the keypad as fake ones may feel slightly loose or thick and spongy.
- Check if there are any holes in the machine as these could be a sign of a hidden camera.
- Be aware of people around you and cover the keypad with your free hand when entering your details.
- Consider using a machine in a busy area or inside a bank branch where it’s harder for fraudsters to tamper with it.
4. Overcharging taxis
This con sees the driver pull up at your destination, only to claim that the meter is broken and demand an exorbitant sum from you.
Another variation sees the meter being rigged to go up unnaturally fast.
Ask your hotel, tour guide or a trusted local for a rough idea of how much journeys should cost before setting off.
Your hotel may also be able to book a reputable taxi service on your behalf.
