The tourist industry in Mallorca and across the Balearics appears to be struggling this summer with many sectors complaining about a fall in revenue and business. New research from Compare the Market has revealed the holiday scams Britons keep falling for and how much they lose on average each time they do. Whether it’s an overpriced taxi, a street seller trying to palm off goods at rip-off prices or a fake booking website advertising a listing that doesn’t exist – Brits have experienced them all.
Nearly one in three (30%) say they have noticed an uptick in the number of potential scams they’ve come across when travelling overseas. This rises to 46% among 16-34-year-olds, pointing to a potential gap in awareness of scams while abroad between age groups – with just 18% of over 55s saying they had noted an increase. This comes as half of Britons (50%) say they worry about being scammed while on holiday, but this split changes by age. Those aged 16 to 24 worry the most, with 65% saying it’s a concern, followed by 57% of 25 to 34-year-olds. Meanwhile, only 40% of those over 55 are worried about being scammed while abroad.
Compare the Market has ranked the holiday scams Brits report to be falling for most – and how much they cost on average:
1. Overpriced taxis
Nearly a third (32%) of holiday goers have fallen for overpriced taxi rides, losing nearly £17 on average to the most expensive ride they can recall. While abroad, some taxi drivers may say there’s no meter and charge a flat, inflated rate for tourists which can be a particular hazard at the airport, or on the street when hailing a cab. Booking in advance, such as via your hotel, can help secure costs upfront so travellers aren’t caught out on the spot.
2. Street sellers’ inflated goods
Street sellers palming off fake or inflated goods onto unsuspecting tourists is the next most reported holiday scam, with (20%) of travellers surveyed saying they had fallen for this. Holiday makers surveyed said they had lost £17 on average from this type of scam. For example, a local trader might suggest an item is “free” only to demand money once you take it from them, or they might promise it’s “real leather, gold or silk” when it’s not.
3. Restaurants overcharging
Another issues travellers often face is restaurants overcharging with a fifth (18%) of tourists saying they’ve been confronted with an inflated bill for a meal in the past. On average, these Britons reckon they lost more than £22 the last time this happened. A quarter (25%) of Brits faced with the scam did, however, say they managed to contest the price and pay a lower bill – while the majority (54%) paid the full price.
4. Fake booking websites
After this, the next most common scam is fake booking websites. More than one in ten (12%) holiday makers have fallen at the first hurdle, getting caught out by fake booking websites posing as legitimate companies. On average, these travellers have lost a notable £113 to this type of scam. One unlucky traveller said they lost £1,000 after booking a holiday in Spain via a fake travel website. Despite reporting the incident to Action Fraud, unfortunately the bank was unable to recover the lost money.
5. Phishing scams
Fifth on the list is phishing scams, with 11% of travellers clicking on phishing emails ahead of their trip. This can happen when a scammer poses as a hotel or booking website and requests money. In some cases, they might pretend your reservation or flight has been cancelled and that you need to re-book. Those surveyed who were unlucky enough to be victim of this type of scam said they have lost £75 on average to it.
6. Money exchange
Last on the list was money exchange scams, where travellers might have used an unofficial money exchange service with unfavourable rates, used an ATM to withdraw cash only for their card to be skimmed, or been short-changed by a street vendor. One in ten (10%) Britons surveyed said they have come up against this type of scam while on holiday with those affected estimating they have lost nearly £28 on average.
Guy Anker, travel insurance expert at Compare the Market, commented: “With nearly one in three (30%) Britons noting an uptick in the number of potential scams they’re coming across when travelling abroad, it’s more important than ever that holidaymakers remain vigilant to protect themselves against any potential losses.
“The traditional holiday scams are still coming up time and time again, be that overpaying for a taxi or paying inflated prices to street sellers in tourist hot spots. The average amounts lost on these are generally smaller, while the amounts lost to phishing attempts and fake booking websites – though less common – are much larger, with some unlucky travellers claiming to have lost thousands.
“There are ways you can protect yourself against travel-related purchases such as paying on a credit card if you can, as it may offer additional protection if something goes wrong with a purchase.
“Travel insurance won’t typically cover online fraud, but it is still highly important as it could cover a multitude of other issues.”