£7m stolen in holiday fraud cases: ABTA
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
An estimated GBP7 million was stolen from holiday booking scams in 2013, according to new figures released today.
ABTA, The City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Get Safe Online revealed there were more than 4,500 cases of holiday booking fraud in 2013 as part of a new campaign to raise awareness about scams.
Around 30% of fraud cases are thought to be fake villa and apartment bookings, while 21% make up fake air tickets or bookings.
Sports, religious and group packages are also a target for fraud with travellers warned to be wary of scams when looking for trips to see the Ryder Cup, Commonwealth Games or FIFA World Cup this year.
“The internet has changed the way we look for and book our holidays. Unfortunately it is also enabling fraudsters, using online offers of villas, hotels and flights that simply don’t exist or promising bookings that are never made, to prey upon those looking for that perfect break,” said NFIB director Detective Superintendent O’Doherty. “We would urge those who have fallen foul of fraudsters to come forward by contacting Action Fraud to report their loss. By reporting it, victims are helping the NFIB to identify and effectively target those most responsible for this damaging and distressing crime.”
Comments are closed.