Simon Calder issues urgent travel warning to any Brits | UK News

Simon Calder has shared an urgent warning to anybody who is planning to e book a vacation. The travel professional appeared on GB News as it was announced that scammers use social media to promote pretend vacation offers during peak season. The 70-year-old urged people to be cautious if they arrive across a vacation package deal or flight that seems considerably cheaper than related affords elsewhere.

Speaking to presenters Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello, Simon said: “Any travel purchase is an act of faith. You put up hundreds or thousands of pounds up front, but you only actually take delivery when you turn up at the airport and hope that your trip is going ahead. That makes travel a favourite target for scammers and social media allows them to run riot. They can contact people on email, they can use various social media platforms.”

“When times are tight and you’re short of cash, if you suddenly get an apparent bargain, a Mediterranean holiday or a flight to Los Angeles at far, far lower prices than you see elsewhere, that could be somebody about to steal your hard earned dream, as well as your money.”

He continued: “It’s well worth going and talking to a real human travel agent to find out whether there is a flight available at that price or whether it’s just a scam.

“There’s a lot to be said for speaking to trusted travel professionals.”

When asked about what advice has for people who would prefer to book online, Simon assured there is one simple solution.

He remarked: “There’s one actually simple method and that’s merely to pay with a credit card. That means that if it seems that the individual you are paying has no intention or is unable to provide the journey you assume you have booked, you will give you the option to contact your card supplier and ask for your money back.

If the individual is requested to pay via bank switch, Simon warned them to be “very afraid”.

While he acknowledged that bank transfers might be acceptable in sure circumstances, he said being particularly requested to pay that method ought to raise issues, likening it to “handing someone you’ve never met before a big bag of your hard earned cash”.

He added: “Once you’ve told your bank to make a transfer of your money, that’s the last you’ve seen of it, so do lots of due diligence.”