The news has been telling us for a while now about scammers, and how to avoid being scammed. Con artists are placing false adverts on accommodation websites to trick holiday makers out of hundreds of pounds. They also use methods such as hacking email inboxes and replying to emails as someone else, in this case, a holiday property owner. They sometimes even create a new email address to pose as someone else. When you’re booking your next chalet holiday, it’s good to be aware of the methods scammers and hackers use to trick you.

The BBC reported that in 2018 almost 5,000 holidaymakers became victims when booking accommodation and flights, 25% higher than the previous year. Those who were tricked in to booking chalets lost on average £2,000 each.

The BBC has given some ‘Tips to avoid holiday fraud’:

• Check the booking agent’s web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name – such as changing from .co.uk to .org . (We would also recommend checking if their website is secure or not. Non-secure websites are a gold mine for hackers).
• Don’t just rely on one review – do a thorough online search to check the company’s credentials.
• Check whether the company is a member of a recognised trade body such as ABTA.
• Wherever possible, pay by credit card and be wary about paying directly into a private individual’s bank account.
• Examine receipts and invoices as well as terms and conditions.

It is so important to use a reputable website to book your chalets and avoid being scammed. ChaletFinder.co.uk has been a reliable source of chalets for holidaymakers since 1994. We only list chalets we would stay in ourselves and have built relationships with all our chalet owners that ensures your booking is as safe as houses.

One of the simplest steps to avoid scammers, is if the advertised accommodation price is highly discounted compared to any other prices listed online. It may sound obvious, but if the advertised price appears too good to be true, it usually is.

‘Which’ has also put together the following advice for avoiding scammers and fake accommodation adverts.

Here are their top 10 tips:

1. Check how long the chalet has been advertised
2. Check reviews by other renters
3. Use Google Maps to confirm the location
4. Speak to the owners on the phone
5. Check owners’ details on the internet
6. Use your judgment
7. Get a written contract before sending any money
8. Credit card payments are safest
9. Check the property carefully on arrival
10. Get any security deposit back upon leaving

We would also recommend taking precautions such as not paying the whole amount upfront, only pay the deposit. Any reputable company will only ask for a deposit to begin with. Also, check the details of the account you are paying into. If this bank account is located in a country irrelevant to your holiday, this is something to question. Ask yourself, who is the account holder – is it the name of the person you are corresponding with?

These are all things to consider when booking your holiday. If you are ever using ChaletFinder.co.uk and are unsure about anything, please do get in touch. Our owners are happy to take audio/video calls to confirm bookings before any deposits are paid.

We want to make sure you have the best holiday experience possible, so put on that Sherlock Holmes cap, and do some investigating.