A NORTH Wales MS is urging his constituents to be wary of holiday fraud ahead of any planned getaways this year.

Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, has recently published new data showing that in the last financial year, it received 6,457 reports of holiday fraud, amounting to over £15m lost.

In light of this, Sam Rowlands MS has been highlighting the dangers of holiday fraud.

He said: “Many of us will be looking to get away to have a break during this new year and these days more than ever we have to be on the lookout for holiday offers which could be a scam.

“North Wales Police Cyber Crime Unit are warning us to be aware of holiday fraud. It really is quite worrying and very sad to see the number of people who have reported being scammed by these unscrupulous fraudsters."

Mr Rowlands added: “I would urge anyone to make sure the holiday offer is genuine when booking flights and accommodation so they do not get scammed.”

Dewi Owen, Cyber Crime Officer, North Wales Police is also warning the public not to be tempted by 'too good to be true' deals and is calling on the public to ensure they take steps to avoid falling victim of holiday fraud.

Some top tips to avoid falling victim to holiday fraud include:

  • Do your own research: Booking your trip via a company you haven’t used before? Do some research to check they're legitimate. Read feedback from sources that you trust, such as consumer websites. You can find a company’s official website by searching for them on Google or another trusted search engine.
  • Look for the logo: Check whether the company is an ABTA Member. Look for the ABTA logo on the company's website. If you have any doubts, you can verify membership of ABTA online on their website. If you're booking a flight as part of a package holiday and want more information about ATOL protection, or would like to check whether a company is an ATOL holder, visit the ATOL or CAA website.
  • Pay safe: Book your holiday with a credit card, if you have one. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases, and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances. Using a credit card (rather than a debit card) also means that if your payment details are stolen, your main bank account won’t be directly affected
  • Secure your email: If your email is hacked, it could allow a criminal to access information about your holiday booking. Use 3 randoms words to create a strong password for your email that’s different to all your other passwords. If you’re offered 2-step verification to protect your email and social media accounts, always use it.