The Importance of Scam Awareness as a Traveller

Several sources have released news in the last few weeks detailing more new scams and cyber security threats that could cost travellers and travel businesses alike a considerable amount of money. Fortunately, with the expansion of travel into the current digital market, many more consumers are aware that a scam may come with some key identifiers that can help them avoid financial losses. However, it is still as important as ever for consumers and travel businesses to remain aware of new potential tricks when working in an ever-evolving digital age.  

Many of the same recognisable features will still be present in the scam market of 2023, with the limitations of a scam business, it is often only the face of the scam that will change drastically. Since some of the same things can be noticed by consumers and businesses, a potential scam can be easy to deal with and dismiss as long as you are well-informed.  

An important fact to keep in mind as a traveller is that these scams don’t just apply to the booking of your holiday. Recent news has provided details of a scam that has taken advantage of international travellers abroad in the Canary Islands, making many more travellers aware that these false sales could be taking place abroad as well as during the booking process.  

In a situation like this one, where a scammer pretending to be a sales assistant in a store took over £2,000 from an unsuspecting traveller, it is important to look out for the signs. In this case, one of the victims of this scam indicated that she did not receive a receipt from the sales assistant and they were hiding the checkout screen from her in order to have her scan her debit card several times.  

As a customer, it is vital always to take a receipt when you are paying a significant amount for a product, regardless of location. Equally, in a case similar to this one, if you are uncertain or suspicious about your payment method being declined, you can request proof of this.  

Ultimately, if you are in a situation where you are offered a deal that appears too good to be true, this is the earliest and easiest to spot indicator that something is a miss. Our biggest recommendation in any potential scam situation is “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is”. If a holiday offer online seems too good to be true, further research to check its legitimacy, or going for a different option altogether could be the best course of action.  

When it comes to avoiding travel fraud, the easiest way to prevent getting involved with it is to look for a reputable company with an established presence, or a trusted connection.  

This is one of the main reasons we at Protected Trust Services ensure that all of our lovely members have a unique PTS logo presented prominently on their websites. Whatever kind of travel you’re looking for, if you are worried about not being able to identify a scam website, all you need to do is look for the PTS logo at the bottom of the website and you can rest assured that your chosen travel business is not only a genuine business but providing you with some of the best financial protection in the UK travel industry.  

If you are still unsure after seeing the PTS logo on a travel business’s website, you can also visit the PTS website and use our Member Search function to look up the name or number of the website and ensure that they are definitely a travel business that we trust and support.  

Travel-related scams can be a daunting prospect for consumers and businesses alike, but they don’t need to be. As long as you are booking with an expert member of PTS, you can travel with complete peace of mind knowing that your monies are safe and will remain protected by PTS until your holiday is over and you’ve returned home.  

So, if you’re looking forward to your next holiday, don’t wait, book now with a travel business registered with PTS for 100% financial protection through trust. Or, if you’d like assistance choosing one of the lovely PTS members to book with, you can contact PTS directly at 0207 190 9988 or check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  

And if you’d like to learn more about your financial protection with PTS or how the Package Travel Regulations protect your holiday booking, check out our pages and Travel Advice.