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Fraud experts warn of likely rise in criminal gang activity
Josie Klein
Fraud experts have urged travel firms to put strategies in place to protect their businesses as the cost-of-living crisis is tipped to lead to an increase in criminal activity in 2023. Barry Gooch, chairman of
Prevention of Fraud in Travel (Profit), said companies should be on high alert and work with the organisation to minimise risks ahead of the anticipated rise. His comments came after
Jet2holidays fraud and chargeback manager Liz Holloway told agents at the company’s conference in Portugal that fraudsters were likely to increase activity next year and would have smaller businesses in particular in their sights. In a separate warning relating
to travel fraud, the Civil Aviation Authority this week urged consumers to be wary of scams when looking for Black Friday deals. Michael Budge, the authority’s
head of Atol, said: “Always check [a holiday] has Atol financial protection, watch out for hidden extras, book by credit card if you can and consider travel insurance.” Holloway told conference
delegates there had been a shift towards fraudulent bookings being
Agents are warned to beware
customers using multiple credit cards to book
made over the phone as website systems had been tightened. She also warned of scams including
an increase in customers altering the dates of birth of passengers to suggest they were children rather than adults, and highlighted clients attempting to book using multiple cards or several providers, which could all be signs the booking might be fraudulent. “Heading into 2023, we expect
fraud to increase across all industries, but especially in travel,” she said. “These people defrauding you
are organised criminal gangs with structures, premises and hierarchies. “They do what we do; they gather together and ask how they can make
Hays wins Investors in People accolade for learning strategy
Hays Travel has won the 2022 Investors in People award for Learning and Development, beating firms such as PwC and the National Bank of Bahrain. The award recognises organisations that have created a strategy for learning and development that has a positive impact on the business and its staff. Owner Dame Irene Hays hailed the learning and development team as “remarkable”.
6 24 NOVEMBER 2022
more money. They look to exploit smaller businesses because they think they will have fewer fraud prevention measures in place compared with large companies.” Gooch said: “There is a rise
[in fraud] due to the cost-of-living crisis, but the vast majority remains organised crime, people smuggling or terror-related, and [many] companies do not employ the best strategies to reduce their risks.” Highlighting Abta’s use of Profit’s
system, he added: “If more people worked with Profit, we would find more organised crime groups as we
have gaps in the intelligence.” i Jet2holidays conference, page 10
Kuoni pursues Travelife status by end of next year
Kuoni aims to gain Travelife accreditation by the end of 2023. The operator revealed it has
signed up for the certification process to join the internationally recognised training and management programme on sustainability in tourism, which is approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The scheme offers a structured
framework to meet sustainability goals, which include reducing the company’s carbon footprint and increasing the number of GSTC certified hotels in its collection. Apollo, Kuoni’s sister company
within the Der Touristik group, has already achieved the certification after a thorough audit process. Kuoni product director Claire
Ross, who joined the board of Travelife for accommodation last year, said: “From the choices we make contracting hotels to operating excursions, it’s a thorough process touching on every aspect of our business.” The news comes as Kuoni
announces it will run more events, virtual and live, with its ambassador Simon Reeve in 2023. The TV presenter and
adventurer gave a customer talk focused on sustainability last week at the Peter Jones store in London,
where Kuoni has a branch. i Simon Reeve: The Interview, page 16
East Midlands to gain daily flights to Newquay in February
Eastern Airways is returning to East Midlands airport for the first time since 2017 with a new service to Newquay. The regional carrier will fly daily to the Cornish airport from February 10, in time for school half-term holidays, with flights operated by a 72-seat ATR aircraft. One-way fares start at £68.99.
Strikes threaten disruption over Christmas and new year
A programme of “hard-hitting” strikes threatens to cause travel disruption ahead of Christmas and into the new year. The industrial action will cover workers in the Home Office, including the Border Force, across the Department for Transport and in Defra, affecting ports, borders and “all areas” of transport. The action is being taken in a dispute over pay, jobs and pensions.
travelweekly.co.uk
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PICTURE: Shutterstock/fizkes
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