Avoid online travel scams ahead of Easter
Still finalising your travel plans and arrangements for the upcoming Easter holidays? Be wary of fraudsters, bank warns.
Consumers who are travelling or have not yet finalised their arrangements for the upcoming Easter holidays should be wary of fraudsters who target people who are desperate to secure travel and accommodation at the last minute, said Sahil Mungar, of FNB’s Digital Banking division.
“If you haven’t yet booked your travel and accommodation, not only are you likely to pay a premium, but you could also fall victim to some online scams,” Sahil said.
“Fraudsters exploit potential holiday-makers by falsely advertising holiday accommodation or timeshares on the internet and social media. Consumers are then deceived into paying upfront in order to secure their bookings. This then gives scammers an opportunity to request ID copies and bank details of their victims, which are then used for identity theft,” Sahil added.
When consumers become desperate to secure holiday travel and accommodation, they can easily overlook scams due to the pressure, only to find out that they’ve been defrauded when they get to the venue.
Sahil advisee consumers to be extra cautious when booking accommodation online ahead of the Easter holidays:
• Always try to book accommodation three months or more in advance, to avoid disappointments. This will help you to qualify for discounts and gives you enough time to do the necessary background and security checks.
• Use search engines like Google. If you’re worried about a property or suspect that the photographs are fake, simply look it up yourself online. Look for reviews from other travellers and Google Maps to ensure that the place exists.
• Use websites like tripadvisor.com, booking.com and other similar sites to check reviews and to book accommodation securely. Generally, these websites guarantee the booking.
• Call directly to publicly advertised phone numbers to confirm the booking availability. Even if you get called, rather hang up and call back on the official number.
• Avoid depositing or transferring money to an individual’s bank account or sending your personal details to their private email address. Rather pay online on the accommodation’s actual website or in person at the venue.
• Lookout for suspicious behaviour. Take notice of bad grammar in emails, foreign phone numbers, or if the owner or property manager fails to respond to emails. These can all be warning signs that something isn’t what it seems to be.
• If you have friends and family that live close to your destination, ask them to go and verify if it is legitimate.
“To avoid scams, consider checking out properties from reputable travel websites and agents in advance and never respond to online and social media adverts without verifying that the sources are legitimate,” concluded Sahil.
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