Bakers Dolphin is urging people spending more than £2,000 on holidays to book face-to-face in a travel shop to avoid the growing number of online frauds.
The latest figures from Action Fraud show that booking scams rose by 17% last year, with holidaymakers losing £7.2 million after parting with their hard-earned cash for flights they were not booked on or accommodation that didn’t exist.
The latest figures are shocking and show that our industry is being targeted by online fraudsters. The cyber criminals know that people book holidays infrequently and prey on people not familiar with the process.
The figures also show that 260 people in the last year had to have medical treatment as a result of the fraud, so it is not just about losing money. Our typical customers are the older generation and they are particularly at risk to these fraudsters, who can look very convincing online.
We take many bookings online, by telephone and in person at our two shops in The Arcade, Broadmead, Bristol and in the Sovereign Centre, Weston-super-Mare. If you are going to invest £2,000 or more in a break then we believe it is worth the extra time to be safe and do it face-to-face with a travel adviser.
Amanda Harrington
Sales and Marketing Director
Bakers Dolphin
Weston-super-Mare
