Holiday Scams

Following the recent holiday scams that have been reported in the papers, we at Bigfoot Chamonix and Ibiza want to reassure our customers and also warn them about possible holiday scams in the market.

Holidaymakers are particular vulnerable when booking holidays online, especially when so many companies today are web based. Even booking through one of the leading holiday rental and letting websites can offer little protection.

We at Bigfoot Travel offer various ways for our customers to make payments and are happy to talk with our customers about the accommodation we offer. We have been trading for 21 years in Chamonix and 8 years in Ibiza and are appalled at the amount of enquiries we receive regarding clients looking for accommodation after being scammed.

We have compiled a check list to help avoid possible scammers.

		If booking through a rental listing site, such as holiday-rentals.co.uk, holidaylettings.co.uk or ownersdirect.co.uk , check how long the property has been advertised, this can give an indication as to the owners experience. This information is usually at the bottom of the advert.
		Many holidaymakers now book holidays via email without speaking to anyone. Talking to someone on the phone can be reassuring that the accommodation is genuine. Ask questions about the local area and attractions, they should be happy to answer all you queries.
		Is there a booking contract? The advertiser should send you a booking contract to sign, which outlines the terms and conditions of the holiday before you book.
		Make sure you have contact details for the owner/agent, including both their home/office & holiday let address. Sometimes these are not disclosed on the websites due to fraud concerns. However there should be no problems getting these details at the booking contract stage.
		If the advertiser has their own website, you can look up the details of who owns the website domain and how long for.

Protecting Payments

There are various ways to make payments for your holiday and some are more secure than others. Here are the pros and cons of the various payment methods.

		Electronic bank transfers are the preferred method of payment for many holiday let owners/companies. However before you make a payment this way, make sure that you are satisfied with the above criteria. Once a money transfer is cashed, it will be difficult to recover funds in cases of fraud, should the owner/company not be legitimate. Remember not all people are scammers, so by following the steps above before you make a payment, will reduce the risks.
		Some owners/companies have a PayPal account, which allows you pay online via credit card. Payments by PayPal are covered for 45 days after payment, so if you are concerned about a scam you would need to start a claim before then.
		Paying by credit card offers the most comprehensive protection from fraud, but also carries charges from the card provider; there is protection on most payments of £100 and above. The problem is that most holiday let owners don’t offer this facility due to high costs.
		Be wary of paying for accommodation by untraceable methods such as a wire transfer company.
		The usual holiday rental payment procedure is 25% deposit and then the balance 6-10 weeks before departure. If full payment is requested up front be wary. Obviously late bookings will require full payment.

We hope this information will help anybody looking for a holiday to avoid potential holiday scammers and will also assure you that we at Bigfoot Chamonix and Ibiza are a reputable company who offers customer service and great accommodation, without the risks!