Vacation in danger: This is how families protect themselves from fraudsters!

Vacation in danger: This is how families protect themselves from fraudsters!

Leizen, Deutschland - Summer is just around the corner, and many people already dream of their well -deserved family vacation. But how safe are our bookings? Unfortunately, numerous fraud cases show that caution is required, especially when booking online. Again and again unsuspecting holidaymakers fall for fake websites that not only offer false holiday accommodations, but can also put a lot of strain on their financial situation.

A particularly brazen fraud is that criminal attractive pictures and promising prices present on fake platforms. Many attract these tempting offers. However, the reality often hits holidaymakers: when you arrive at the booked address, you have to find that the apartment or the holiday home does not exist. In many cases it even affects an ordinary residential building, the owner of which does not know anything about the fraud, such as reports.

The criminals often require a down payment or even the entire amount before arrival. For many families, this means that they give their hard -earned money out of their hands, only to be at the holiday destination without accommodation. The latest reports show that there were over 100 fraud attempts and phishing attacks on hotels in Germany last summer, such as WDR . In a particularly perfidious case, a man found that his valuable objects were stolen during a supposed "house string" booking-the damage is estimated at around 13,000 euros.

In order to avoid such fraudsters, it is advisable not to make an advance payment online and use secure payment methods, such as invoice, direct debit or credit card. Particularly noteworthy is the direct debit, with which debit can be canceled within a few days. Online security also advises to book only through encrypted connections (HTTPS) and to check the imprint and the tax number of the provider.

check and compare pays off

Consumer protection officers emphasize that sufficient research is essential before booking. Experience reports and the duration of the offer can help with orientation. Users are also asked to use Google Maps to check the existence of the accommodation. Shable messages about booking apps that require verification of the credit card details should also be ignored, since these mostly come from hackers that have entered the systems. Booking.com warns on your homepage that passwords or confidential information should never be asked.