Police investigate £2 million holiday scam
Metropolitan Police are investigating a scam that affected 3,000 holidaymakers and is believed to have netted fraudsters over £2 million.
Two arrests were made over the weekend.
The scam first came to light after concerned holidaymakers put warnings on the online travel forum of TripAdvisor.
More than 340 postings on the subject are listed on the TripAdvisor Benidorm forum.
The holiday firm was not ABTA or ATOL bonded, which means the fraud victims will not be paid compensation.
The scam is reported to have involved a business trading under several different names.
ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said the association was able to provide police with evidence that should help in pursuing a successful prosecution.
Anyone who is concerned can get further information from the Metropolitan Police website www.metpolice.uk/fraudalert or the Trading Standards Office in Islington, London.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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