How to avoid these rip-offs

Holiday Villas, Greek Villa Escapes and Balearic Villa Escapes are hosted by the U US organisation GoDaddy.

Ben Butler, director of the Digital C Crimes Unit at GoDaddy, said: “We communicate regularly with UK law enforcement on alleged fraud issues and have established processes in place for taking action against websites conducting illegal activity. If anyone believes that they have been defrauded by the people operating these websites, they should contact law enforcement.”

Concerns

CHECK the web address is legitimate and has not been altered by slight changes to a domain name, such as going from .co.uk to .org Do a thorough online search to check the company’s credentials. If a company is defrauding there is a good chance victims will post details of their experiences. Look for the logo – check whether the company is a member of a recognised trade body such as theAssociation of British Travel Agents. You can verify membership at www.abta.com Never pay directly into a private individual’s bank account. Paying by direct bank transfer is like paying by cash – the money is very difficult to trace and not refundable. Wherever possible, pay by credit or debit card. Check paperwork. You should study receipts, invoices and terms and conditions. Be wary of any companies that don’t provide any at all.When booking through a holiday club or timeshare, have the contract thoroughly vetted by a solicitor before signing up. Trust your instincts. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Report it. Victims should contact Action Fraud via www.actionfraud.police.uk