This is a message sent via WMNow. This information has been sent on behalf of West Mids Police. It is advice mainly targeted at individuals.
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Emma Bromley (Police Staff, Partnerships Engagement Officer, Birmingham )
Official figures show one in 10 people in England and Wales have been victims of cyber crime in the past year alone.
And one particular scam which has seen a sharp rise is holiday booking fraud, with millions of pounds being swindled from unsuspecting victims.
Almost 6,000 holidaymakers were victims of booking fraud last year, a total cost of £7.2 million and averaging £1,200 per victim.
Action Fraud revealed the most common frauds involved fake airline tickets, online accommodation bookings and timeshare sales with scammers setting up bogus websites, hacking into legitimate accounts and posting fake adverts online.
West Midlands Police produced a video about holiday fraud with simple advice to avoid becoming a victim.:
www.BrumCityCentre.com 