Ask the Expert: Protect yourself from fraud

Unfortunately, fraud is an ever-present problem in many walks of life. ABTA has been very active over the years, working together with the City of London Police in campaigns to raise awareness amongst the general public about the dangers of fraud, potential warning signs and how to protect yourself. However, it is not just the public who are at risk, travel companies are also tempting targets for criminals.

So what should your staff be looking out for? One of the main danger areas is last-minute bookings, in particular high-value tickets. If you have someone who you’ve never dealt with before asking for a first-class ticket who does not appear concerned about the cost, they may be legitimate, but they may also not be; alarm bells should start ringing. 

First of all, make sure that all staff are aware of potential danger areas and that new staff are informed as part of their induction training. One of the easiest ways to put off a potential criminal is to ask some personal questions that only the cardholder would know. This may tip the crook off that you are feeling suspicious and they will move on where a legitimate customer would not.

There are also a number of free tools you can use, such as 192.com, which confirms who lives at the postal address of the cardholder and their ages. This can help you create a question or two to determine whether the customer is bona fide.

For online bookings, if you haven’t already done so, sign up for Verified by Visa and Mastercard Secure Code. ABTA is also a partner with Prevention of Fraud in Travel, PROFiT, and I would strongly recommend looking at their website, which has some very useful advice and information on other fraud prevention tools. 

If you are unlucky to be defrauded, please let us know, as we may be able to warn other members about a crook who is in action. And lastly, always report the crime to the police. This should be done online with Report Fraud; this may not necessarily result in a prosecution, but it will help the police to identify patterns and possible links to other forms of organised crime.

Full details for ABTA members are available in the Member Zone.

Steve Abrahamson, Head of Risk Management, ABTA