Scam busters
Don’t get burnt by the con artists in your bid for a sunshine holiday
taxi driver, restaurant or retailer claiming you paid with fake money, having switched your real notes for fake ones, or returning your change in counterfeit.
THE SOLUTION: Consider a pre-paid card which you can load with currency ahead of time to lock in your preferred exchange rates.
If you’re happy with the current rate on offer, buy your currency at that time to guarantee the rate when it’s time to go. This also separates your travel money from any personal accounts, further reducing the risk of getting caught out.
Debit and credit cards can be good backups but beware of ATM and transaction fees as well as what exchange rate you’ll be forced to use.
Free wi-fi
THE SCAM: Connecting to unsecured networks could leave you vulnerable to scammers trying to steal sensitive information. A “free” network might cost you your data. THE SOLUTION: Only connect to trusted wi-fi networks, especially when travelling. If you haven’t got any data allowance left, but you are in need of an internet connection, consider buying a drink or meal from a nearby café or restaurant that offers wi-fi to its guests.
If you travel a lot, and you’d rather not pay for data roaming, it could be worth considering getting a travel router you can use to get online from a trusted local network.
Fake accommodation listings
THE SCAM: When booking accommodation for your trip, if you come across an apartment or villa that appears to be too good to be true, then it probably is.
Almost a third of holiday booking fraud in 2020/21 took place on social media, according to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, with 62% of victims targeted on Facebook.
Scammers will even list apartments or houses on Airbnb that are occupied full-time as rentable, and then trick holidaymakers out of their money. THE SOLUTION: Always book your accommodation through trusted websites such as Airbnb, Expedia and others where possible and avoid ads on social media.
If you’re unsure, use Google’s reverse image search function to check if photos are legitimate.
Ask the host plenty of questions or arrange a video tour to establish whether the offer is genuine. This shouldn’t be a problem for an authentic host.
Too-good-to-be-true airline deals
THE SCAM: According to Action Fraud, more than half of all travel scams in 2020 were linked to air fares.
Around 7% of victims were caught out by entering their details on a clone comparison or booking website after searching for flights online.
The victim is then typically contacted by someone claiming to be from the airline, or flight-comparison website, to take them through the booking and arrange payment.
Some didn’t realise they had been the victim of a scam until they turned up at the airport and found their tickets were fake.
THE SOLUTION: If an agent contacts you directly, make sure you double-check the airline company’s number on their website and say you’ll hang up and call them yourself if you’re unsure.
To avoid being contacted by third party agents, consider browsing through an incognito window.
Be cautious if you’re asked to make a bank transfer, as this method of payment is virtually untraceable. Instead, pay by credit card where possible so your money is protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit
Act. Also, make sure the company you book with is a member of a trade association such as ABTA or ATOL, by checking the website.
Taxi twists
THE SCAM: Holidaymakers have reported taxi and tuk-tuk drivers claiming their meter is broken before quoting an inflated price for the journey.
Others say their driver informed them that their chosen destination
– a hotel, temple or museum – is overbooked or closed, before taking them to a friend’s lodging or attraction. They then charge a higher fare, before taking a convoluted route, to further hike up the rate.
THE SOLUTION: Follow these guidelines for a scam-free cab trip. Never hail a taxi from the street. Consult a reputable source such as the information desk at the airport, a tourist information centre, or your hotel’s concierge, to call you a cab, or hire a licensed taxi through an official outpost.
Know the general cost of the ride – ask the hotel concierge or consult an online fare calculator – and confirm that the meter works before getting into the vehicle.
Have the address and hours of operation of your destination written out in both English and the local language. If the driver attempts to take you
elsewhere, firmly repeat your desired location or terminate the ride.
Use Google Maps or Citymapper, if applicable, to ensure your driver is staying on course.
Public transport can be affordable, reliable and regular but options vary greatly by destination (check in advance and locally with a tourist information centre, or your hotel’s concierge for any precautions about using it).
Covid vaccination passport emails
THE SCAM: Some countries still require proof of vaccination status for entry, something that fraudsters have been quick to exploit.
When vaccine passports were initially introduced for travel, several email scams made the rounds inviting people to apply for a digital vaccine passport. However, the NHS website it linked to was fake.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute warned that these emails were a phishing ploy to get people’s personal details and facilitate identity fraud.
SOLUTION: Never click on links in unsolicited emails. Look online to see if others have reported scams similar to this and, if in doubt, do not give out your personal details, especially card details.
If you think you’ve received a phishing email, report it to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk.