Holiday scams alert: fake flights and phantom hotels

Lloyds Bank is warning holidaymakers to watch out after it saw a 7% spike in travel scams in the past year.

It said nearly half of holiday scams affecting its customers start on Facebook and Facebook Marketplace.  

Its customers lost £765 on average (up 4% in the year to February 2024), and those aged 35 to 44 made up more than a quarter of victims. 

Here, we explain how to avoid getting caught and simple steps to stay safe when booking your holiday this year. 

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Most common holiday scams

Based on an analysis of holiday scams reported by Lloyds Banking Group customers between November 2021 and March 2024, the most common scams were:

1. Fake flight tickets were the most common one, sparked partly by people turning to social media and less-reputable websites due to rising flight costs. Scammers create fake ads or pretend to sell airline tickets they can no longer use, offering a discount for an upfront fee. Once they have the money, they disappear. 
2. Caravan purchase scams are where scammers lure their victims using photos of vehicles from Google images or genuine ads, often offering enticingly cheap deals. 
3. Fake holiday home or cottage rentals on booking websites such as Airbnb also feature stolen or fake photos. Scammers may take deposits through legitimate sites first before asking for further payments via bank transfer or PayPal. Victims may only discover they've been duped when they arrive at their accommodation to find it doesn't exist or belongs to someone else. 
4. Booking scams can be particularly clever, as hackers may hijack booking systems to pose as genuine hotels on legitimate platforms such as Booking.com and steal card or bank details. 

Lloyds Bank told Which? that some of the other most commonly reported holiday scams include fake camping trip bookings and the purchase of camping items such as tents. 

• Which? offers this guide to getting your money back after a holiday scam.

7 tips to stay safe from holiday scams 

Lloyds Bank offers the following advice to avoid scams when booking your next holiday:

1. Buy tickets and hotel stays from trusted retailers or, even better, direct from the airline or hotel. 
2. When booking stays, look for valid reviews on websites such as TripAdvisor. Always use your debit or credit card, as this helps to protect your money should something go wrong. 
3. When booking stays through websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com, only pay through their systems. Do not transfer money directly to the host.
4. If you’re booking a hotel through a third party – such as Booking.com – and receive what appears to be a message from the hotel asking for more money after the original booking has been confirmed, don't pay this without contacting Booking.com or the hotel directly. 
5. Be cautious on social media. If buying a caravan or motorhome, always see the item in person before handing over any form of deposit.
6. Don’t succumb to pressure. If a seller is trying to rush you or bombarding you with messages, take a step back and question their eagerness.
7. Pay attention to warnings. Your bank will likely provide a warning when you set up a new payee or make an unusual payment. Be sure to follow any advice provided.