Fake ads: ‘I died inside – I fell victim to a scam’

Natasha Sheik said she “died inside” after realizing she had been cheated on, just a week before she was due to go on a family holiday in Cornwall.

He had found an advert on social media and carried out an identity check to prove he owned the property before handing over £280.

But it turned out that he did not own the property and he and his family were left with no place to live. “It was sick,” she said.

Action Fraud is warning that at this time of year, when people are looking for cheap holidays, criminals will be looking to take advantage.

Ms Shack, a single mother from Lingfield in Surrey, said she had spoken to a man on the phone who said he owned the property.

He asked to see her identity and the utility bill for the property, which she provided, before she deposited the money, the balance to be paid on arrival.

Then around vacation time, she said the man stopped responding to her messages.

“I suddenly died inside, because we had a week to go and we didn’t have a booking anywhere.

“My heart sank and I felt so disappointed in myself. It was the fact that I had been the victim of a fraud.”

Natasha reported what had happened to the police, and managed to withdraw the money from her bank before booking alternative accommodation.

However, experts say holiday scams can be a lucrative industry for fraudsters.

Two years ago, Sam Kirkwood, from Poole, Dorset, said he was planning to celebrate his 30th birthday by going to an England cricket match.

He said he saw tickets advertised online by a seller in Cardiff.

“I found the place which looked like a real place, it had some good reviews on the website on Booking.com.

“It was only when we knocked on the door and someone answered that the man said: ‘You’re like the third people who’ve been here this week’.”

They said Booking.com had refunded all the money Mr Kirkwood had paid, including an extra £100 he had incurred for staying elsewhere.

The booking was canceled due to the partner closing its property on the platform, the firm told the BBC.

They say that a refund has now been processed for the difference in cost of the replacement property.

Last year Booking.com warned that artificial intelligence (AI) was Fire a blast In travel scams, cases increase by 900% in 18 months.

Figures from Action Fraud show a significant increase in holiday scams with losses of more than £15.3 million in 2022/23 with 6,457 reports, compared to 4,244 cases in 2021/22 with losses of £7.3 million.

Kent Trading Standards says fraudsters are using social media or clones of well-known travel websites to trick people.

Trading Standards manager Clive Phillips says fraudsters often advertise deals as “too good to be true”.

“People sometimes don’t realize they’ve been scammed until the last minute.”

Mr Phillips told the BBC of an incident where a man had bought flights to India to visit his family, but when he arrived at Heathrow airport “his flight was not there”.

Sarah Broadbent, from Beckley in East Sussex, runs a glittering business and discovered some of her properties were being featured on the scam site, which has since been shut down.

“The site was named after one of my properties. It featured photos taken directly from my website.

“I’ve had a number of people contact me via social media to inquire about what they saw as an online deal that seemed too good to be true,” he said.

“To have someone try to rip me off is really disgusting.”

Ali, from Kent, who did not want to give his full name, said he tried to book flights with a travel agent he found online.

After giving her credit card details, she later realizes her account has been taken a hundred pounds more than she expected. .

“They seemed very genuine with all the details about flight times and baggage allowance,” he said.

“They trained how to get people to get cheap deals, which were half the price of other airlines.”

Ali has been refunded by his bank.

“I felt very foolish not to check the website or the numbers beforehand,” he added.

Det Supt Gary Miles, head of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau at the City of London Police, said: “We know that at this time of year, people will be looking for the best holiday deals and that means criminals are picking on An effort will be made

“Before booking a holiday online, make sure you do your research and only use official or reputable holiday booking websites – look for the ABTA and ATOL logos before you click,” he said. said

“Be vigilant when using online marketplaces or social media platforms to look for a holiday deal – those who offer cheap or unrealistic prices could be guilty of stealing from you.

He advised to pay by credit card and avoid payment by bank transfer.

“Make sure you report any ads on social media platforms or online marketplaces that look suspicious,” he said.

Action Fraud says fraudsters often copy logos and website designs.

The organization is urging consumers to check with ABTA or ATOL directly for company details and use them when contacting them rather than numbers advertised online.