With the approach of summer holidays, Lloyds Bank is ramping up efforts to educate its customers about the increasing prevalence of holiday scams, particularly on popular booking platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb.
Recent data analyzed by Lloyds Bank reveals that holiday purchase scams have escalated by 7% over the past year. On average, victims have suffered losses of approximately £765. The demographic most susceptible to these scams includes individuals aged 35-44, who constitute 27% of the total victims.
A significant 49% of these scams originate from social platforms like Facebook and Facebook Marketplace, according to Lloyds’ findings. Scammers have also exploited well-known vacation rental websites such as Booking.com and Airbnb to deceive unsuspecting holidaymakers. They commonly use stolen images to create listings for nonexistent hotels or homes, initially requesting deposits through the platforms. Later, they ask for further payments through alternative methods which are outside the secure transaction systems of the booking sites.
These deceptive practices often go unnoticed until the victims arrive at their supposed vacation rental, only to discover the scam, leaving them stranded and financially disadvantaged.
Liz Ziegler, the Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds Bank, advises caution: “While there are legitimate deals on flights and holiday homes, it is crucial to verify the authenticity of these offers. For instance, Facebook Marketplace may not be the most reliable source for booking your next holiday’s flights. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Ziegler stresses the importance of diligence in online purchases and recommends always booking through reputable retailers. She also warns against bypassing the security protocols of websites like Airbnb and Booking.com, which include secure payment systems that should not be circumvented by direct transfers to hosts.
The scams do not stop at accommodation. Fraudulent offers for cheap flight tickets and caravan bookings are also rampant, with scammers using enticing deals to lure victims. These deals often require upfront payments for supposed name changes on tickets or bookings, only for the fraudster to vanish once the payment is made.
To protect themselves, Lloyds urges holidaymakers to always book directly with hotels and airlines when possible, utilize credit or debit cards for payments to leverage fraud protection services, and resist the urge to make quick decisions under pressure from persistent payment requests.
Lloyds also emphasizes that any follow-up payment requests allegedly from sites like Booking.com or Airbnb should be verified directly through the platforms to prevent falling prey to scams.
This proactive approach by Lloyds Bank aims to safeguard its customers and ensure their holiday plans are not marred by fraudulent schemes.
