Easter holidays, boom in online scams: how to recognize them and what to do

Every year it's the same old story, Easter 2024 is no exception: there are more and more online scams and consumers must be particularly alert.
A category particularly at risk is the travel sector, with the numerous short holidays booked in this period, often with last-minute promotions that make it easier to deceive customers.
It is equally full of platforms, agencies and accommodation facilities that operate in total honesty, even offering last-minute formulas that have nothing to do with scams.
They too, like consumers, are extremely damaged by these practices, losing out in terms of reputation and then economically.
For this reason Alberto Yates, regional director of Booking.com, has undertaken a collaboration with the postal police to increase safety when booking travel through information and assistance.
So let's see what tips you need to protect yourself from scams and recognize them.
Protecting personal information The postal police particularly insists on the need to protect personal information when you want to book a trip, a plane ticket or an accommodation facility.
Before entering your data, it is essential to check that the website used is the official one and that it refers to an authorized intermediary company or an existing accommodation facility.
Carefully checking photos, reviews and the URL of the reference site can be helpful.
Also pay attention to the means with which you share your information, social networks and text messages are certainly not preferable, rather it is better to opt for the merchant's website or through a certified email address.
Pay attention to the means of payment When it is not possible to pay for the trip once you arrive at the destination, an option that is increasingly rare given the risks for the structures themselves, it is essential to use traceable methods, perhaps through a bank transfer with specific reason.
This method, in addition to providing proof of payment for future reimbursement, also allows you to know the name of the current account to which the payment is addressed for greater security.
Especially for payment, you must rely exclusively on safe and reliable sites, checking that they are authorized to operate, carefully avoiding any alternative payment method, which is difficult to prove or with unclear amounts and conditions.
Checking with your credit institution that online payments are made with two-factor authentication is an excellent way to reduce the risk of unwanted or different thefts.
Beware of fake websites Carefully checking that you are going to a safe website may not be enough, because many online scams play on this mechanism through redirects and internet pages similar to the official but artificial ones.
Once again, you need to carefully check the URL address to match the original at every step.
Even the aesthetics of the page can give rise to suspicion in this sense, so it is essential not to rush.
Finally, especially if the offers include a maximum time to conclude them, it is advisable to make sure that the payment amount remains the same at each step.
It is not uncommon, in the field of scams, for the total to rise dramatically after entering the payment details, a moment before the final click.
Other Easter scams Although the travel and holiday sector is the one most affected by Easter scams, in this period it is also easy to come across other unpleasant scams linked to the festive period.
The most common are undoubtedly fake charity collections, followed by vouchers and coupons with fake promotions for which payment or the entry of credit card details is required.
In both cases it is essential to verify that the initiatives really exist by checking with the charities and merchants who issued the alleged voucher.
In any case, the precautionary rules just seen above still apply.
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