Lloyds Banks has issued an urgent scam warning to British holidaymakers looking to book a holiday this summer.
The bank has warned scams targeting unsuspecting sunseekers has increased by a third (33%) in the last year.
Based on analysis of relevant scams reported to Lloyds Bank, fraud relating to flight bookings was up by 13% in the 12 months to March 2022. The average amount lost to a flight scam was £2,955.
Scam reports linked to hotels were up by 18%, with the average amount lost £1,231. Packaged holiday-style scams also saw a 17% increase over the same period, with victims losing £2,342 on average.
However, by far the biggest increase came from scams linked to fake caravan bookings (i.e. a short stay in a caravan, rather than the outright purchase of a vehicle), with cases surging by a massive 108% year-on-year. The average amount lost in each case was much lower though, at £374.
Many of these scams start with false adverts on search engines or social media. Victims often click on a link taking them to a website and believe they are dealing with a legitimate company. However, it is all too easy for scammers to impersonate genuine firms online. Some fraudsters even lurk on real accommodation listing sites, before convincing victims to transfer cash directly rather than through the official platform.
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Lloyds Bank issue warning to anyone booking a holiday this summer
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