Warning to people in Teesside looking to snap up holiday deals online

Members of the public are being advised to stay extra alert and do their research before booking their summer getaways.

It follows new national data revealing victims lost a total of over £11 million to holiday fraud last year.

Action Fraud – the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service – has today (Monday 24 February) launched a holiday fraud campaign, urging the public to look out for suspiciously enticing offers online including on social media.

New data shows there were 6,066 reports of holiday fraud made to Action Fraud last year, with July recorded as the highest month of reporting with 647 reports.

Holiday makers lost a combined total of £11,183,957 in 2024, which is comparatively less than the £12.3 million lost in 2023. Despite the drop, the average loss per victim remains at similar levels, with £1,851 the average in 2023 and £1,844 in 2024.

Detective Inspector Amanda Badger, from Cleveland Police’s Economic & Cyber Crime Unit, said: “When trying to find the best deals, members of the public should be vigilant when booking holidays by checking the holiday companies’ legitimacy. 

“Sometimes if the holiday deal is too good to be true, it usually isn’t. 

“Fake holidays are usually advertised online or through social messaging. So, before you book that holiday, we encourage you to instead, STOP! And to THINK FRAUD.  

“Take your time and research the company through looking for the usual logos like ABTA, ABTOT and ATOL. Use a credit card when booking, which  will give you protection under the Consumer Credit Act.”

Oliver Shaw, Commander for Fraud and Cybercrime at the City of London Police, said: “At this time of year we know that many people will be on the lookout to book their summer getaway. While searching for the best deals, we advise everyone to be alert for criminals who will try to take advantage of this busy period, promoting fake holidays online or through social media - often with suspiciously low prices.

“Before clicking that ‘book’ button, Action Fraud is encouraging everyone to not only look for the usual logos, like ABTA, ABTOT and ATOL, but do some extra research to make sure the holiday deal is genuine. We wouldn’t want anyone to be tripped up and find their holiday doesn’t exist.

“When booking your summer holiday, please remember to Stop! Think Fraud – and use Action Fraud’s advice to stay safe online. We also recommend that you avoid using bank transfers where possible, as this can be a sign of a fraudulent deal, and ideally pay using a credit card to benefit from the additional consumer protection this provides."

Insights from holiday fraud data suggests more than 50 per cent of reports mentioned social media platforms. Other reporting suggests fraudulent branding from travel protection agencies, like ATOL, ABTA, or ABTOT, was used to provide false reassurance that the agency or the holiday package the victim booked was covered.

Below are some helpful tips on how to protect yourself from holiday fraud:

• Check the travel company is legitimate: about to book a holiday? Do some research first to check that the company is legitimate, especially if you haven’t used them before. Use consumer websites, or reviews from people (or organisations) that you trust.
• Look for the logos: look for the ABTA, ABTOT or ATOL logos on the company’s website. If you’re unsure, you can use the links below to verify membership:
• ABTA - https://www.abta.com
• ABTOT - https://www.abtot.com/abtot-members-directory/
• ATOL - https://www.atol.org
• Use a credit card to pay: use a credit card for payments (if you have one). Many of these protect online purchases as part of the Consumer Credit Act.
• Only provide required details at checkout: when making your payment, only fill in the mandatory details (often marked with an asterisk) such as your address. Unless you think you’ll become a regular customer, don't create an account for the store.
• Keep your accounts secure: create a strong and unique password for your email. If 2-step verification is available, always enable it.
• Watch out for suspicious links: whether it’s in an email or social media post, be wary of promotions for unbelievably good holiday offers. If you receive a suspicious email, report it by forwarding it to: [email protected]

Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk

If you’ve lost money or provided your financial information to someone, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.