The Police Service of Northern Ireland is urging the public to be vigilant when booking holidays online after new figures reveal that over £100,000 was lost to holiday fraud in 2024.

Between January 1st and December 31st, 2024, 74 reports of holiday fraud were made to police, with a total reported loss of £105,553. This compares to 89 reports and £155,245 lost during the same period in 2023.

"It's natural to want to get the best deal when booking a holiday," said Superintendent Joanne Gibson, Chair of ScamwiseNI. "However, we know that criminals will try to take advantage of this, either by promoting fake holidays online or through social media, often with suspiciously low prices. What can seem like a bargain holiday, or a good deal online, can be the start of a scam, which can leave people out of pocket and scupper their holiday plans."

Superintendent Gibson advised travellers to look for logos like ABTA and ATOL before booking and to research deals to ensure their legitimacy. She also encouraged people to follow the 'Stop. Check. Report.' advice to protect themselves and their money.

Advice

• Stop - be cautious with bank transfer requests. If possible, pay using a credit card. Most major credit card providers offer protection for online purchases. The safest way to pay is by credit card and, where at all possible, avoid paying by bank transfer to someone you do not know or have not met in person.

• Check - do your research. Don't rely on just one website or review. If it's a fake, there's a good chance others will write about their experience and some basic internet research will find it. Look for the logo, check to see if the company is a member of Abta and, if you're booking a flight, check to see it's approved by Atol.

• Report - if you have lost money in this way, or any type of fraud, report it to police on 101, to your bank immediately, online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040.

Information and advice is also available at www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseni