If you are jetting off for some winter sun then, lucky you.
But don’t let your holiday get ruined by becoming the victim of a travel scam. Fraudsters around the globe are known to target tourists who may not be as familiar with their new surroundings as the locals.
And you may even be targeted before you’ve booked your holiday, through bogus sites or fake glowing reviews for the accommodation you are about to commit to.
Read more: Taking bicycles on Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry – how it works and the cost
PA News has rounded up a list of common travel scams. They include booking, foreign currency, card scams and even dodgy wifi.
1. Bogus booking sites
If you’re still in the process of booking your getaway, beware of deals for flights, accommodation or car rental that seem to good to be true.
“Scammers will use fake websites, apps, or phishing emails,” warns Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee (mcafee.com). “Instead of leading you to a great deal, [they] link to scam sites that can then lift your login credentials, payment info, or even funds should you try to place an order through them.”
To make sure you’re on a reputable booking site, check the web address begins with ‘https’ not just ‘http’, she explains. “That extra ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’, which means that it uses a secure protocol for transmitting sensitive info like passwords or credit card numbers. It often appears as a little padlock icon in the address bar of your browser.”
