Booking a holiday with a travel company only to find it doesn’t exist, and therefore being scammed out of a lot of money you might not be able to replace, is something unsuspecting traveler’s fall into from time to time. Not only that, but in a lot of cases of travel-related fraud, the holidaymaker then can’t afford a replacement holiday.

However, when you’re well equipped and prepared with vigilance, it’s something that can be easily avoided. Here we will go through the different types of travel-related fraud and how you, the traveler, can avoid them.

What is Travel Related Fraud?

Travel-related fraud, put simply, is when a traveller pays money for a holiday, accommodation, or transport only to find out it doesn’t exist. The most frequent types of travel-related fraud consist of:

  • Holiday Accommodation – fraudsters post fake ads for holiday accommodation online, sometimes hacking into real holiday booking accounts to do so

  • Airline Tickets – a consumer will pay for a fake ticket or one that never shows up believing they are booking a real flight

  • Sports and Religious trips – These tend to be popular with fraudsters because of the limited, but higher-priced, tickets

  • Timeshares and Holiday Clubs

Avoiding Travel Related Fraud

  • Be vigilant online – Check the websites you’re using for legitimacy, if you have used a travel company you trust before and they provide the service you’re looking for, use them again. Or, if you’re using a new travel company, look for inconsistencies like changes in the domain name throughout the site

  • Research – Trust other people. Don’t base what travel company you use on just one review, look all over the internet for people’s experiences with them to ensure they’re legitimate.

  • Look for Our Logo – All travel companies that work with PTS are quality, trusted services we have approved and will have the logo on their website, look out for it next time you’re looking into a travel company, or find travel services through our member search.

  • Pay Safely – Never pay into individual accounts, and if you can, work with a travel company that uses trust accounts, that will ensure your money is protected throughout the entire process

  • Check the Paperwork – Give thorough attention to all paperwork provided. If the company is not providing paperwork, steer clear, travel companies are lawfully obligated to provide certain legal documents, and further ones when you ask for them

  • Use your Instincts – generally if a majority of companies are offering something that doesn’t seem nearly as good as one company, there’s a reason for that balance. If something seems way too good to be true, it probably is.

  • Report It – If you come across something that seems like a fraudulent website, don’t just walk away, contact Action Fraud.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

  • financial-protection-in-travel

    December 29, 2021

    Consumers Are More Aware of Financial Protection in Travel

    According to a poll recently conducted by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), consumers are more aware of financial protection than [...]

  • check-financial-protection-when-booking

    September 20, 2021

    How You Can Check Financial Protection Before Booking

    As travel is finding its feet and restrictions are beginning to ease, many of us, consumers and travel businesses alike, [...]

  • what-is-atol

    August 28, 2021

    What is ATOL? The Ultimate Consumer Guide

    If you've looked into any consumer protection in travel, I'm sure you've come across the term 'ATOL'. An important part [...]

Want to know more about how PTS protect your holiday?

Contact Us