FOREWARNED
IS FOREARMED
Unfortunately, criminals are
always coming up with new
ways to part holidaymakers
from their money – and
are using new technology to
assist them.
Stay abreast of the latest
cons by visiting the Action
Fraud website (actionfraud.
police.uk). You can report
a suspected fraud to the
organisation either via the
website or by calling 0300
123 2040 (+ 44 330 123 2040,
if you’re abroad).
The travel agents’
organisation ABTA (abta.com)
has information about
avoiding fraud and what to do
if you’ve fallen victim to
a scam. And the Foreign
Office (gov.uk/foreign-
travel-advice) has lots of
advice on travelling to
destinations worldwide and
what to look out for.Beat the con artists
the firm contacted you? Is this a company
you’ve had previous dealings with? Cold-
calling in particular is quite an expensive
way to reach customers: if the holiday and
price are genuine, why isn’t the company
selling via its website, social media or
traditional advertising?
Second, how are you being asked to pay?
If it’s by direct bank transfer, that’s a clear
warning sign: unlike a credit card payment,
direct transfers are almost impossible to
claim back in the event of fraud.SCAM 5
Car-hire pitfalls
When a car-rental firm bills you for damage
that’s either non-existent or didn’t happen
while you were in possession of its car, it
can be hugely frustrating. In some cases –
especially when flying home outside
business hours – customers have no choice
but to drop the car off without having
it inspected. There are many reports of
holidaymakers returning to the UK only
to find they’ve been charged hundreds or
even thousands of pounds by rental firms
falsely claiming the vehicle has been
damaged – or inflating the cost of repairs
for any damage that the customer admits
they have been responsible for.How to protect yourself
Thoroughly inspect the vehicle when you
pick it up to ensure that any damage is
recorded by the car-hire company – and
take your own pictures.
When dropping off, take more pictures
or even a video of the exterior of the car- especially if you are not able to have the
vehicle checked by an employee of the
car-hire firm. Finally, consider
taking out insurance before
you leave home from a third
party – not the car-hire company
itself – that would cover the cost of
any policy excess charges. This is
available from Saga, and a number
of online providers in the UK.SCAM 6
Dodgy holiday clubs
A more modern form of timeshare, holiday
clubs are often touted as a way to gain
cheaper access to accommodation in
sought-after destinations at certain times
of year. But these clubs can, at times, be
run in an underhand way.
Often, individuals are approached by
representatives and told that they’ll be
entitled to a free trip abroad if they simply
attend a presentation – either in the UK
or when they’re already overseas.
But these presentations are little more
than high-pressure sales events where
attendees are cajoled into signing up for the
club. In the worst cases, victims may end up
signing a contract for thousands of pounds
of fees a year in return for extremely limited
access to the accommodation offered –
which is often overbooked.
One notorious holiday club in Bangkok
approaches tourists in the street and gives
them a scratch card with the chance to
win a free holiday. In order to claim their
trip, winners must attend a presentation
where they’re pressured to sign up for what
turn out to be worthless or non-existent
benefits. Reports suggest that the club
changes its name regularly to avoid action
by the Thai authorities.How to protect yourself
If you attend a presentation, don’t
take your bank cards; don’t sign
anything there – take any
documentation away to
check it properly. Be
sure you understand
your cancellation
rights. If something
sounds too good to be
true, it probably is.40 SAGA.CO.UK/AUG-MAG I^2018