How to avoid scams when booking last-minute holidays
Searches on Google for 'last minute holidays' have spiked in recent weeks as hopeful holidaymakers try to book an escape before the summer is out, but those 'deals' may not be all they seem.
Losses from holiday scams totalled £11m in 2024 with an average loss of £1,844 per victim, according to Action Fraud data. The summer months were also among the highest for scam reports.
Fake holidays can be an effective way for fraudsters to lure you in with a too good to be true deal to harvest your data and steal your money. Some holiday scams can be incredibly hard to spot, too.
Below, we explain some of the most common ways fraudsters carry out holiday scams and how you can spot the signs of a scam.
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Copycat websites
Scam websites impersonating legitimate holiday companies are designed to grab your personal and financial information.
You may be led to one of these bogus sites via dodgy posts and ads on social media or search engines under the guise of belonging to a legitimate holiday or accommodation company.
One giveaway can be the website address, including unusual words, misspelt or characters. A company’s official website address will typically only include its name.
Another scam giveaway is that the website was recently created. This is because fraudsters will have created the site quickly for the purpose of executing the scam. Using a domain checker, such as who.is, will tell you when the website was created.
Fake accommodation listings
Accommodation booking sites, such as Booking.com, can be used by scammers to create fake listings.
Earlier this year, as part of a Which? Travel investigation, Which? listed a holiday home on Booking.com without needing to provide proof of who we were. We also discovered hundreds of people complaining that they’d paid for accommodation that didn’t exist.
If you come across a listing you’re unsure about, you can reverse search images included in the listing using Google to see if the photo appears elsewhere. You do this by taking a screenshot of the image and uploading it using the image icon on the right side of the search bar, or use a website like TinEye. If the image appears elsewhere, it may indicate it has been stolen.
It’s also best to stick to listings which aren’t new and have numerous positive reviews. Always read reviews before you book, and make sure you are reading the most recent reviews.
- Read more: the scam crisis on Booking.com
Dodgy social media posts
Non-existent holidays being peddled on social media sometimes impersonate real holiday homes and companies, and other times create an entirely false getaway to tempt you into parting with your money and personal data.
In a previous investigation, Which? exposed a number of social media and Google ads for fake glamping sites.
Newly created social media profiles, or those that appear unconnected to the holiday company, such as having a different name or being based in an unrelated location, can be red flags.
Also, some Facebook profiles have a 'reviews' tab where you can check for any negative feedback.
Attractive offers
Scammers will attempt to lure you into their schemes through tempting discounts, offers and giveaways which sound too good to be true.
Which? has previously reported on fake holiday competitions circulating on social media that impersonate Centre Parks, EasyJet and others. In these scams, the company branding will be stolen or closely copied, and competition entrants are typically directed to another website to share their personal information.
If you do see an appealing offer, make sure to check with the company it claims to be from to see if the offer is legitimate and steer away from any deals which sound unrealistically attractive.
Fake document services
Scammers will create fake government services websites for visa applications or passport renewals in an attempt to steal your personal and financial details.
Some of these websites can look the part, too. Always protect yourself by using gov.uk website for passport renewals and any other government service. You can also find all the information about entry requirements for UK citizens for any country you are travelling to.
How to report a holiday scam
You can report scam social media posts and adverts to the platform.
Suspicious websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre on its website.
If you lose any money to a scam, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your bank card. Also report it to Action Fraud, or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.
