Beware fake travel websites, says ABTA

A WARNING about fake travel company websites has been issued by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), following an increase in reports of fraudulent sites.

The association has compiled a list of warning signs that suggest that the site might not be legitimate. These are:

• Prices that are considerably lower than competitors 
• Fuzzy logos for trade associations and credit card companies 
• Non-receipt of tickets 
• Bank transfer the only payment option 

ABTA urges users to research companies online before making a booking.

John de Vial, the association’s head of financial protection, said: ‘Our consumer helpline has seen an increase in calls from members of the public who are either checking the validity of a suspicious website or, worse, have already paid by bank transfer and then been fobbed off when trying to get hold of their tickets. We want to make consumers aware of this problem and stop them from being ripped off in this way.’

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