It’s impossible to avoid scams or scammers in life, because sadly even the smartest among us can find ourselves victim to a smooth talker, however, we CAN take steps to reduce our risk.
For example, we can carry anti-theft bags when walking around overseas, steer clear of empty and dark streets in foreign countries, and we can keep our hard earned travel money safe by booking through a person we trust aka a preferred Travel Agent.
The latter is the message received loud and clear by some 4,700 British travellers who found themselves out of pocket after booking fake travel deals, The Daily Mail reported.
According to data released by the City of London Police, some 25 percent more people fell victim to online booking scams in 2017, which resulted in a loss of nearly £6.7million (AU$12.2 million).
AU$12.2 million! That’s a lifetime of travel money right there!
On average, the individual Brit lost some £1,500 (AU$2,745), which is the equivalent to return international flights and a few days accommodation.
The most common scam travellers are falling for are those related to airline tickets and accommodation bookings, and the peak period for scammers is during the holiday periods when they use fake deals to target bargain hunters.
Pauline Smith, Head of Fraud Reporting Centre Action Fraud, said told Daily Mail that fraudsters are being more creative with how they trick their victims by organising professional-looking websites, which is why it’s important for travellers to do research when booking online or use someone they can trust.
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