With the arrival of summer, you might be planning your next getaway. However, holiday makers are being urged to do their research when booking travel and accommodation to make sure they don’t fall victim to fraudsters and end up on a fake-ation.  Action Fraud has revealed that reports of holiday and travel related fraud increased by 120% in 2020/2021, with victims losing an average of £1,868 each.

Trust your instincts and remember, if a deal looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

You can take steps to protect yourself from unscrupulous scammers when booking a holiday by following the tips and advice provided by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

Fraudsters are trying to take advantage of the current cost of living crisis with a scam that targets people who might be eligible for the cost-of-living payments that are currently being made.

Scammers have been contacting victims by text and asking for their bank account details so that the cost-of-living payment can be made. The text people have received looks like it is from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), however this is a scam, and you should never text your bank account details to anyone.  

People who are eligible for the cost-of-living payments do not need to apply as they will receive the funds from the government automatically. The Department for Work and Pensions will never ask for personal details by text or email.

In June Friends Against Scams recruited its one millionth SCAMbassador who joins a growing army of citizens taking a stand against fraudsters targeting vulnerable people.

Friends Against Scams is a national scheme that empowers people of all ages to fight scams by providing free online training and sharing information about scams to help people avoid them.

It’s easy to become a Friend Against Scams – all you need to do is complete a simple online training session that takes about 20 minutes. A huge 97% of people who have completed the training say they are now less likely to fall victim to a scam.

Latest figures from Action Fraud reveal that criminals are still trying to defraud WhatsApp users by contacting them and pretending to be their friend or a family member. The scam has been reported to Action Fraud 1,235 times between 3 February and 21 June this year and has cost users a staggering £1.5m in total.

In the scam, fraudsters will usually target victims by claiming to be a family member with a message saying “Hello Mum” or “Hello Dad”. The messages will continue, with the fraudster saying that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged, before asking for money to purchase a new phone, or an urgent bill that needs paying.

To avoid being the victim of a WhatsApp message-based scam like this, you should remember to Stop, Think, and Call before replying to a suspicious or unusual message. If a family member or friend makes an unusual request on WhatsApp, always call the person, on the original phone number that you have for them, to confirm their identity.

You can report spam messages or block a sender within WhatsApp. Press and hold on the message bubble, select ‘Report’ and then follow the instructions.

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Unsure whether a website is safe and genuine? Now there is a quick and simple way to check if a website is likely to be legitimate or a scam …before you visit it.

Check a Website is an easy-to-use online tool provided by Get Safe Online & Cifas. Users simply type in the address of the website they want to check, and their results will appear within seconds.

This new, free service is expected to prevent thousands of people in the UK falling victim to unwanted online scams every year.

If you think you’ve been a victim of using a fake website, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040.