People in Northern Ireland planning to book a getaway online have been urged to be vigilant as new figures reveal more than £100,000 was lost to holiday fraud last year.

Between January 1 and December 31, 2024, 74 would-be travellers reported to the PSNI that they had been scammed, amounting to a total reported loss of £105,553.

This compares to 89 reports of holiday fraud made to the PSNI during the same period in 2023 with a total reported loss of £155, 245.

Commenting on the figures, released by Action Fraud, Chair of ScamwiseNI Superintendent Joanne Gibson said: "It’s natural to want to get the best deal when booking a holiday. However, we know criminals will try to take advantage of this, either by promoting fake holidays online or through social media, often with suspiciously low prices.

The PSNI is urging anyone planning to book a holiday online to do their research after new figures show more than £100,000 was lost to holiday fraud last year. Picture: unsplash

placeholder image — The PSNI is urging anyone planning to book a holiday online to do their research after new figures show more than £100,000 was lost to holiday fraud last year. Picture: unsplash

"What can seem like a bargain holiday, or a good deal online, can be the start of a scam, which can leave people out of pocket and scupper holiday plans.

"Our advice is that before booking the holiday, look for the usual logos, like ABTA and ATOL.

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“Take time to do your research to make sure the holiday deal is genuine and that you haven't booked a getaway that doesn't exist. Follow our ‘Stop Check Report’ advice to protect you and your money.”

Stop - be cautious with bank transfer requests. If possible, pay using a credit card. Most major credit card providers offer protection for online purchases. The safest way to pay is by credit card and, where at all possible, avoid paying by bank transfer to someone you do not know or have not met in person.
Check - do your research. Don't rely on just one website or review. If it's a fake, there's a good chance others will write about their experience and some basic internet research will find it. Look for the logo, check to see if the company is a member of ABTA and, if you're booking a flight, check to see it's approved by ATOL.
Report - if you have lost money in this way, or any type of fraud, report it to police on 101, to your bank immediately, online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

Information and advice is also available at http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseni