Summer is all about unforgettable journeys and enjoying a well-deserved break from work. Yet, a holiday fraud may spoil the most perfect plan. Read the article and learn everything about holiday scams to watch out for.
Online holiday scams
Like it or not, even the most avid travellers switch online to plan the trip, at least. Luxurious offers and unexpected deals often turn out to be nothing more than holiday scams. We have already dwelled on different types of phishing, so now we’ll take a closer look at holiday cyber scams.
Fake offers
‘Today’s value deal’ may be just a holiday cyber scam. From websites to social media posts, scammers hunt for the data and funds of unfortunate holidaymakers trying to save money on travel in summer. This holiday scam may vary in shape and form, from a short post on Facebook offering a low-cost bed and breakfast to a fraudulent website promoting fake package tours to the most popular destinations.
Brand doppelgangers
Scammers may create lookalikes of popular brands to trick holidaymakers into making a purchase. Instead of providing tickets, hotel stays, and other services, they charge money – and disappear afterwards.
Fraudulent emails
Fake email campaigns are another type of common holiday cyber scam. These emails contain phishing links created to obtain users’ data or lead to the malicious websites listed above.
Common holiday scams
Whenever you are travelling to a new destination, new impressions overwhelm you. Online holiday scams are developing, but offline holiday frauds still exist.
Here are just some of the common holiday scams you may come across:
- The ‘free’ photo opportunity: Beware of seemingly friendly locals offering to take photos with exotic animals or in picturesque settings. After the photo is taken, they may demand an exorbitant fee.
- Taxi meter tampering: Some unscrupulous taxi drivers manipulate their meters or take unnecessarily long routes to inflate fares. Always agree on a price beforehand or insist on using the meter.
- The gemstone deal: Be cautious of merchants offering ‘rare’ gemstones at bargain prices. These are often worthless imitations sold at inflated rates. Other ‘unique’ or ‘rare’ goods may be sold to tourists unaware of holiday shopping scams.
- The spill trick: A stranger may ‘accidentally’ spill something on you and offer to help clean up. This distraction technique is often used by pickpockets.
- Fake police officers: Criminals posing as police may demand to see your wallet for ‘verification’. Always ask for proper identification and suggest moving to a nearby police station.
- The friendship bracelet: Street vendors might tie a bracelet around your wrist as a ‘gift’ and then demand payment. Politely but firmly refuse such offers.
- The secret garden: Locals may offer to take you to a location not listed in any travel guides, claiming it is a secret site hidden from tourists. The venue usually turns out to be mediocre, while the entrance fee and the prices for the souvenirs are extremely high.
By staying alert and informed, you can better protect yourself from these common holiday scams and enjoy a worry-free travel experience.
How to avoid holiday scams
Here are a few tips that will help you avoid online and offline holiday fraud.
Staying safe online
This advice is useful not only for planning your holiday but also for online shopping and any other activity on the web.
- Book through reputable travel agencies and providers or directly with airlines/hotels. Examine the company’s website and reviews if it is new to you.
- Double-check website URLs, sender email addresses and other data. Remember that changing a single letter (for example, using a high-case ‘i’ instead of a low-case ‘L’) is a common tool for online holiday shopping scams.
- Look for secure payment indicators (https, padlock icon). Do not use insecure websites or apps for online purchases.
- Do not hesitate to look up or ask for information about the travel company's liability before making a purchase.
- Do not provide personal information via email.
- Use strong, unique passwords for online accounts.
- Keep software and antivirus programs updated.
Using trusted services for online payments is paramount. When it comes to money transfers, stick to Profee: we comply with international security standards to ensure the safety of your data and funds.
General advice
Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. All the value deals that are not holiday scams have some reasoning behind them: for example, travel companies may reduce prices for booking in advance or for last-minute offers. A company with huge discounts and no licensing information is probably nothing more than a holiday fraud. Politely but firmly refuse any offers that seem suspicious to you – or state that you have no intention to pay for them.
Follow the tips from this article to avoid holiday scams – and enjoy your summer.
