Simon Calder appeared on GB News on Monday to issue an urgent travel warning for British holidaymakers planning trips this summer. The travel expert cautioned that booking a holiday online is now 'an act of faith' and that some tourists could lose thousands of pounds to scammers.
Online Scams Targeting Holidaymakers
Calder explained that holidaymakers are currently being targeted by online scams, where fraudsters use social media to advertise fake holiday deals during peak travel season. He stated: 'Any travel purchase is an act of faith. You pay hundreds or thousands of pounds upfront but you only actually take delivery when you turn up at the airport and hope that your trip is going ahead.'
The travel expert noted that the online travel marketplace has allowed scammers to 'run riot,' describing it as the 'Wild West' for unsuspecting tourists.
Advice for Safe Booking
When asked by GB News presenter Ellie about how people can protect themselves from fraud when booking online, Calder gave two key pieces of advice. First, he urged holidaymakers to pay for trips with a credit card, as it is easier to get money back from a bank provider. Second, he warned against using bank transfers, saying: 'Be very afraid. There are some circumstances when they are an appropriate thing to do, but otherwise, it can be just like handing someone you've never met before a big bag of cash.'
Calder concluded: 'Once you've told your bank to make a transfer of your money, then that's the last you've seen of it.' He urged the public to contact trusted travel agents rather than booking online to avoid scams.
