Dosh dilemma – Jenny’s dream skiing holiday grounded by scammers

Jenny had been dreaming of a winter getaway for ages. After months of saving, she booked a solo skiing trip to the Alps.  

She was drawn to an ad that had popped up on social media, promising “unbeatable, half price ski packages,” and to “book now for a limited half-price offer.” 

The deal looked fantastic. A five-day package, including flights, hotel, ski passes and equipment rental for an incredibly low price. The website seemed very professional, with glamorous photos of cosy mountain chalets, happy skiers and glowing five-star reviews.  

Jenny didn’t hesitate, she pulled out her credit card and booked it without thinking twice.  

But then... nothing. No confirmation email. Not even a “thank you for your booking.” She checked her inbox, spam folder and the site’s FAQs. 

A couple of days later, she rang the customer service number on the website. It rang and rang and rang, but there was no answer. Panic set in, so she Googled the company and was sickened to find review after review from people who’d been scammed. 

It was then when Jenny knew that she’d been ripped off.  

She asked us, will she be able to get her money back and should she have spotted the signs?  

Well, Jenny, we’re really sorry you had to learn the hard way, but if it’s any consolation, you’re far from alone. Scammers pretending to be legit travel agencies are everywhere. With fancy photos, five-star ratings and urgent “limited-time offers,” they can be incredibly convincing. 

In fact, travel scams are booming. Booking.com reported a staggering 900% increase in travel fraud over the last 18 months, driven by artificial intelligence (AI).  

Lloyds Bank has warned about a 7% rise in travel scams, with customers losing an average £756.  

So, can you get your money back? 

Yes! You’re in luck, Jenny, especially since you paid with a credit card. Credit cards offer an extra layer of protection.  

You might be able to get your money back through the “chargeback scheme,” which lets your card provider reclaim your funds from the seller’s bank.  

If the booking was over £100 but under £30,000, you might be able to claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. 

If the booking was under £100, then you won’t be able to claim through a Section 75, but chargeback is still an option. 

Talk to your credit card company and see what they advise. 

How to spot a fake travel company 

As Jenny’s story confirms, it can be very difficult to spot a fake or scam travel website, as fraudsters are experts in creating convincing sites and adverts. And, with the rise of AI, unfortunately scams are becoming even more convincing.  

But here’s some telltale signs that something might not be right:  

A dodgy domain  

Scammers often use references to trusted, well-known brands in their domain (website address), such as discountbooking.com, as they aim to gain a user’s trust.  

You should also be wary of domains ending in .org or .net, as they are rarely used for online shopping, so may have been acquired by a fraudster.  

Use a domain checker like who.is so you can find out when the website was created. A newly created website could be another red flag, especially if the company is claiming to be established.  

Too good to be true?  

Sadly, if a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Like Jenny’s ad, scammers often use pushy language to create a sense of urgency that the deal won’t be around forever.  

Alternative payment methods 

If you’re asked to make a payment by cryptocurrency, bank transfer, MoneyGram or Western Union, it could well be a scam.  

That said, as Jenny’s story testifies, many scammers accept credit and debit card payments, so proceed with caution with ALL payment types.  

To help protect yourself for scammers, you should always:  

Research the company before purchasing from them 

The company Jenny bought from may have had five-star reviews on its website, but elsewhere people were warning about it.  

Take the time to research the company away from its own website and other online platforms, so you can get genuine, unbiased reviews.  

Sadly, Jenny did this too late.  

Spot a fake review 

Of course, fake reviews can be put on third party sites. If reviews are new, oddly similar, overly factual and all five-star, it could be another red flag.  

Check the contact details 

If the company has contact details, try them before you buy. If, for example, Jenny had tried the customer service number to find that nobody was at the end of the line prior to purchasing the offer, she probably would have thought twice.  

Only book through trusted sites 

Hindsight might be a wonderful thing, but the key to avoiding fake travel booking scams is to only book through reputable websites.