A new report by the City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has revealed the cost of the 4,910 reported cases was 425% greater than the £2.2 million reported the previous year.
The most common type of fraud remained the sale of airlines tickets, with Nigeria, India and Pakistan the destinations most targeted lasy year.
However, there has also been a large increase in the number of owner accounts on sharing accommodation websites being hacked.
Fraudsters have also targeted sports and religious trips thanks to limited ticket availability and higher prices while timeshares and holiday clubs are also targeted with victims losing up to £35,000.
The average loss is nearly £3,000 while 44% of victims claimed the fraud had also had a significant impact on their health.
Spikes in fraudulent activity have occurred in both the summer months and December with the age group most commonly targeted between 30-49.
Mark Tanzer, Abta chief executive, said: “Every year Abta is contacted by members of the public who have been victims of travel related fraud.
“The costs to these people are not just financial. They also have to deal with the severe disappointment of holidays or trips to visit loved ones being cancelled at short notice.
“Fraudsters are always on the lookout for new opportunities, making full use of the internet with clever and unscrupulous scams.
“Abta would strongly urge the public to follow the booking advice which we have created in partnership with the City of London Police and Get Safe Online to stop these crooks in their tracks.”
City of London Police Commander Chris Greany, police national coordinator for economic crime, said: “We live in a world where we are under pressure to get things done quickly.
“However, when booking a holiday it is vitally important you take your time and follow a number of basic checks designed to protect you from falling victim to a fraud.
“These include researching the name of the company online you are considering using and ensuring it is a member of a recognised trade body.
“It is also key that you make sure the website is legitimate by carefully checking the domain name and pay with a credit card rather than using a debit card or cash.
“Follow these guidelines and you should be able to look forward to a happy holiday while at the same time thwarting fraudsters’ increasingly sophisticated efforts to get their hands on money you have put aside to pay for that much needed break.
“If you do happen to fall victim to a holiday booking fraud you need to report it to Action Fraud so the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau can analyse what has happened, identify potential suspects and refer the case on to a local police force for investigation.”
Advice was also released following the report concerning how the public can best stay safe. Included in the list of tips is to check the company being booked with is a member of a “recognised trade body” like Abta.
