Beware! Fraudsters Alert

It has come to the notice of TravelhouseUK of the existence of companies falsely representing us and scamming the innocent public of their hard earned money. They have a very simple mode of operation: on their website whatever you try to search i.e. all tabs you click on (destination, packages, contact etc) will direct you to a page that requests all information such as travel dates, destinations, contact numbers, email. Now once they have this information they call back and offer fantastic rates and make a reservation of your flight. Next they request you to make a payment by bank transfer and after this is where no contact is possible with them. Names given are similar to ours (TravelhouseUK) and when you get no response from them a simple search on Google comes up with our numbers and it is then realized that you have been scammed. Normally this is made possible by creation of high quality websites which are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the original. These websites are designed to dazzle prospective unsuspecting clients. These companies also purchase a bunch of Google AdWords or Facebook ads to enable sales. After skimming people of their savings which they have collected, these websites shut down and a new one is created in its place. And they start all over again!!!

So far two companies have come to our notices that are posing as TravelhouseUK and these are namely.

1. Travel.House
2. Travelorganizers.co.uk

In the past other firms have also encountered this issue and once they have tricked a number of innocent clients they change the company name to prey upon fresh clients

To educate the public in general we have compiled a number of warning signs that the website you visit is not what it seems

Does the offer seem too good to be true? If so, it probably is. Check the company policies on bookings, refunds and complaints.

1. Flight prices are very much cheaper than any in the market.
2. The websites always have displays of logos of relevant trade associations and these are always not clear without any membership numbers. Before making any payments especially into bank accounts one should always check if these companies are legitimate and one can check with the protection agency ATOL (visit http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?appid=2) or with ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents)
3. You are asked to make payment into a bank account – the only option provided. Once paid it is next to impossible to get your money back
4. Always insist on receiving a confirmation document on booking your flight which can be counterchecked with the airline immediately if so desired.
5. Physical address: should have a physical address which you can visit to verify legitimacy of the company

Remember all legitimate businesses will have their full address, landline telephone number and email contact details on their website. In addition they should clearly display their ATOL and ABTA registration numbers which can be verified online. It is always a good idea to research on your company before making any commitments.

Have you ever been a victim of travel scam ? let us know in the comments .