People looking to snap up online holiday deals ahead of the summer are being warned to stay extra alert and do their research before booking their getaways, as new data reveals victims lost a total of over £11 million to holiday fraud last year.

Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, has launched a holiday fraud campaign, urging members of the public looking to snap up their next holiday deals to look out for suspiciously enticing offers online - and especially social media - and to do their research before booking their getaways.

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

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 in reported loss, the average loss per victim remains at similar levels, with £1,851 the average in 2023 and £1,844 in 2024.

As you plan your next escape, it’s essential to stay vigilant and protect yourself from common scams. Here’s what you need to know about holiday fraud and how to avoid it...

Common holiday scams to look out for

• Fake Holiday Rentals or Accommodation: Scammers post fake holiday properties at unbeatable prices. After you pay, the property either doesn’t exist, is already booked, or looks nothing like the photos. Scammers create realistic travel websites and listings with fake holiday offers. They may contact you directly by email, text or phone call.

• Phony Travel Deals: You might see advertisements for heavily discounted flights, cruises, or hotels. Once you pay, the "company" disappears, or you realise hidden fees make the deal far more expensive than advertised.

• Airline and Hotel Impersonation Scams: Fraudsters send fake emails or texts claiming to be from airlines or hotels. They ask you to confirm your booking by entering personal information, leading to identity theft or unauthorised charges.

• Free Holiday Scams: If you receive an unsolicited call or email saying you've won a free trip, be wary. Scammers often use these tactics to lure victims into paying "processing fees" or taxes for a trip that doesn’t exist.

• Payment Fraud: Scammers ask for holiday payments via wire transfers, gift cards, or peer-to-peer payment apps - methods that are hard to trace and recover.

How to Protect Yourself

• Book Through Reputable Websites: Stick to well-known travel platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia. Avoid deals on unfamiliar websites that lack secure payment options.

• Verify Listings: Before booking holiday accommodation, reverse image search the photos to ensure they aren’t stolen from another site. Read reviews and contact the property owner through official platforms.

• Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Offers: If you didn’t enter a contest, you didn’t win a vacation. Hang up or delete emails claiming otherwise.

• Use Secure Payment Methods: Always pay for holidays with credit cards or trusted travel platforms. Credit cards offer fraud protection, making it easier to dispute unauthorised charges.

• Double-Check Airline and Hotel Communications: If you receive an email or text from an airline or hotel, go directly to their website to confirm the information. Never click on links in unsolicited messages.

• Research Travel Companies: Look up the travel agency’s reviews on sites like TripAdvisor or Trustpilot. Check if they are registered with travel industry associations like ABTA or IATA.

Additional Tips for Safer Travel

• Get Travel Insurance – Ensure your insurance covers fraud-related cancellations.

• Trust Your Instincts – If a deal feels too good to be true, it probably is.

• Document Everything – Save receipts, emails, and screenshots of your bookings.

• Alert Your Bank – Inform your bank if you’re traveling, and monitor transactions regularly.

In a nutshell: Tops tip to avoid falling victim to holiday fraud

• Stay safe online: Check the web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name - such as going from co.uk to .org.

• Do your own research: Booking your trip via a company you haven’t used before? Do some research to check they're legitimate. Read feedback from sources that you trust, such as consumer websites. You can find a company’s official website by searching for them on Google or another trusted search engine.

• Look for the logo: Check whether the company is an ABTA Member. Look for the ABTA logo on the company's website. If you have any doubts, you can verify membership of ABTA online on their website. If you're booking a flight as part of a package holiday and want more information about ATOL protection, or would like to check whether a company is an ATOL holder, visit the ATOL or CAA website.

• Pay safe: Book your holiday with a credit card, if you have one. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases, and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances. Using a credit card (rather than a debit card) also means that if your payment details are stolen, your main bank account won’t be directly affected

• Check the paperwork: You should read through the terms and conditions, and be wary of any company that doesn’t provide any at all. When booking through a holiday club or timeshare, get the contract thoroughly vetted by a solicitor before signing up.

• Trust your instincts: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t be lured in to what you think is a bargain holiday.

• Secure your email: If your email is hacked, it could allow a criminal to access information about your holiday booking. Use 3 randoms words to create a strong password for your email that’s different to all your other passwords. If you’re offered 2-step verification to protect your email and social media accounts, always use it.

For a full list of tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud, please visit https://www.atol.org/about-atol/how-to-check-for-protection/ or https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/planning-and-booking-a-holiday/how-avoid-travel-related-fraud.

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040, or call Police Scotland on 101.

For further reading on holiday fraud, check out our other blogs.

Reporting

Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).