The cruel new holiday scams you need to know about: Never use the phone charge points in an airport and beware when booking holiday parking

Jemma Brown was overjoyed when she booked a four-bedroom Spanish villa with a pool advertised on Facebook Marketplace.

But her family vacation was left in tatters on the day of their departure when she realized she had fallen victim to an elaborate scam.

Jemma, an artistic director who lives in Wiltshire, was looking for a holiday home in Majorca for her husband Anthony, 45, a conductor, and their two teenagers when she came across the advert.

She says, “It looked perfect, so I messaged the owner and we talked via email and over the phone.

‘Looking back now, I think: ‘complete idiot’.’

On the day of their flight in August 2019, she was told that the villa had been flooded and the ceiling had collapsed, so they could not stay there. She never heard from the owner again.

However, she had already transferred a £300 deposit.

Travel-related scams cost holidaymakers an eye-watering £15 million last year, according to figures from Action Fraud.

People fall for many well-known tricks, such as booking accommodation that doesn’t exist or buying ultra-cheap plane tickets that turn out to be worthless. But behind the scenes, criminals are working hard to find new ways to get you.

Here are seven of the latest ways vacation fraudsters can spoil your trip abroad this summer and rob you of your hard-earned cash.

The sting of social media

Vacation deals that pop up on your social media feed – on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok – can be just as bogus as some of the dodgy celebrity accounts that pop up.

Links and attachments promising bargains may lead to malicious websites or viruses that are then downloaded to your device, stealing bank account details or personal information.

Protect yourself: Always check the URL before you click, using a link checking tool like Google Safe Browsing.

You may appear to be on a trusted site, but fraudsters create duplicates of well-known websites.

Victims assume they are on the official website and hand over money. Fraudulent sites can also direct you to another unknown site to pay.

Avoid clicking through from your social media account and book trips through reputable travel agencies instead.

QR code parking trick

On a short weekend break, some may choose to use paid parking at the airport.

Nowadays, many parking garages require online payment with a QR code. Sneaky scammers replace the QR code with their own QR code, which directs the user to a fake site where they enter their payment details, which the fraudsters can access.

Protect yourself: Beware of signs where a code appears to be pasted on an official code. If cash payment is not possible, try to pay by phone.

That way you can check the phone number beforehand to make sure it’s legit.

Trick with USB charging point

A free phone charging point at the airport can be a lifesaver when your battery runs out by showing tickets and boarding passes on your mobile device.

But fraudsters can use charging station technology to access information stored on phones.

The USB ports allow scammers to introduce malware and surveillance software into devices, giving cybercriminals access to your personal information, from emails to credit card numbers.

Protect yourself: Since there’s no way to check if a USB connection has been hacked, invest in a portable power bank (£15, Amazon) to put in your hand luggage. No bigger than a smartphone, they can be fully charged three times before needing to be recharged.

Passport cloning list

According to cybersecurity firm McAfee, nearly one in four scammed travelers had their identities cloned when booking travel arrangements after they submitted their passport details to a bogus website.

Armed with a cloned passport, the sky is the limit for fraudsters out to steal your identity.

Being a victim of identity theft can lead to borrowing in your name, which can have a direct impact on your personal finances. It can also make it difficult for you to borrow with credit cards or get a mortgage until the issue is resolved.

Protect yourself: Be extremely careful if you are asked for passport information by anyone other than a real airline. If in doubt, you can call a company directly. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable broker.

Cashpoint skimmer scam

Criminals use skimmers to steal your payment card information. These are sneaky gadgets that attach to the front of an ATM and can read the magnetic stripe of a credit or debit card. This information is then used to clone cards and spend your money.

Six million sets of stolen credit card information were on the so-called dark web, says cybersecurity specialist NordVPN.

Back home, you’ll be familiar with what an ATM looks like and – hopefully – you’ll be able to see any kind of device plugged in. You may be less likely to notice it abroad.

The devices come in all shapes and sizes, but are normally attached to where you insert your card. If it’s loose or there are signs of glue around the reader, it could be a skimmer. If the keyboard is loose, that could also be a fake.

Also watch out for any suspicious holes pointing down towards where you would insert your card – a hidden camera may be present to record your PIN.

Protect yourself: Find an ATM where you can enter a branch and scammers are less likely to confirm dodgy kits.

You can also consider using a prepaid travel card from providers such as UK Post Office or Revolut.

If criminals then get their hands on the card details, they cannot be used to steal your identity and will not give access to your savings. It is also much easier to freeze.

Free wifi fiddle

Thanks to Brexit, free roaming has been withdrawn for many smartphone users, so free open Wi-Fi networks abroad can be very useful, especially if you’re somewhere long distance. But by using them, you risk compromising the information on your smartphone.

Protect yourself: Be careful when connecting to public Wi-Fi and make sure it’s linked to a trusted source.

You can usually tell if a network uses encryption because it requires a password to join. You can also ask the staff at the location to verify the official Wi-Fi network.

Using a virtual private network (VPN), you can keep your connection secure and protect your personal information and activities while you bank, shop and surf online.

A VPN is a service that protects your internet connection and privacy online. It protects your online identity by hiding your IP address and allows you to use public Wi-Fi hotspots securely.

You have to pay for one. NordVPN, a top pick from PC Magazine, costs £2.79 per month.

If you don’t have a VPN and want WiFi, grab a cup of tea from a cafe and use theirs – or if you can, wait until you get back to your hotel, where you know there’s a secure network.

Check in by phone con

When you check into a hotel, brazen phishing scammers call the front desk and ask to be transferred to a room number.

When you answer they pretend to call the hotel reception and ask you to confirm your payment card details which gives them what they need to clone your card.

Protect yourself: If you receive a call from reception asking for payment details, never read out your card number. Say that you will come to the reception and confirm the payment in person.

moneymail@dailymail.co.uk