Holiday Scams on the Rise: Brits Lose £2.7 Billion to Fraud and Cybercrime

Millions of Brits jet off on holiday each year, unaware of the sophisticated scams waiting for them. July is the peak month for holiday scams, with 22 million Brits, or 38%, either falling for a scam or knowing someone who has. The average loss per victim is a staggering £7,596.34, enough to cover the entire trip.

Key Takeaways:

• Scammers are hijacking the names of trusted brands like Booking.com, sending fake emails or texts claiming there's an urgent problem with your hotel booking.
• Posting a photo of your boarding pass on social media can be used by scammers to send fake flight updates, leading to a spoof site that drains your card.
• "Delayed Baggage" compensation scams target genuine airline mishaps to trick people into handing over banking details.
• Joining the wrong "free Wi-Fi" at a café abroad can connect you to a scammer's hotspot, allowing them to see all your passwords and online activities.
• Plugging your phone into a public USB port can unknowingly allow data to be hacked or malware to be installed.
• The most common trick is to pile on the pressure, using urgency to force quick decisions.
• 13.4 million Brits (20%) would click a suspicious link on holiday.
• £2.7 billion was stolen through fraud and cybercrime in the past year.
• The average loss per victim was £7,596.34.
• Siobhan Blagbrough, Financial Crime Manager at Ocean Finance, advises to never click links in emails or texts and to go direct to the official app or website.

Statistics:

• 22 million Brits (38%) have either fallen for a scam or know someone who has.
• 13.4 million Brits (20%) would likely click a suspicious link on holiday.
• £2.7 billion was stolen through fraud and cybercrime in the past year.
• The average loss per victim was £7,596.34.
• July is the peak month for holiday scams.

Sources:

• Ocean Finance (Siobhan Blagbrough, Financial Crime Manager)
• Action Fraud
• Report@phishing.gov.uk