#EASTER2018: Avoid being fooled by travel and accommodation fraudsters this Easter weekend

When consumers become desperate to secure holiday travel and accommodation, they can easily overlook scams due to the pressure.

March 30, 2018

Zianne Leibrandt 2 minutes read

Are you travelling and have not yet finalised your arrangements for the upcoming Easter holidays?

Then you should know to be wary of fraudsters targeting people desperate to secure last minute travel and accommodation.

ALSO READ: Voice of the People: Easter celebrations

People who haven’t yet booked their travel and accommodation are not only likely to pay a premium, but are also at risk of falling victim to online scams.

Fraudsters exploit potential holiday makers by falsely advertising holiday accommodation or timeshares on the internet and social media.

Consumers are then deceived to pay upfront in order to secure their bookings.

This further gives scammers the opportunity to request ID copies and the bank details of their victims, which are then used for identity theft.

When consumers become desperate to secure holiday travel and accommodation, they often easily overlook scams due to the pressure, only to find out that they’ve been defrauded when they get to the ‘venue’.

Consumers are advised to be extra cautious this Easter when booking accommodation online ahead of the Easter holidays.

Read on for tips on how to avoid being defrauded:

Always try and book accommodation at least three months in advance, or longer, to avoid disappointment:

This will help you 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 travelers and Google Maps to ensure that the place exists:

Use websites like tripadvisor.com, booking.com and similar websites 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.

Look out for suspicious behavior:

Take notice of bad grammar in emails, foreign phone numbers, or if the owner or property manager is not responding to emails. These can all be warning signs.

If you have friends and family that stay close to the place, 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.