Alert as travellers scammed of $250,000

Travellers have been warned of online holiday scams. Picture: Supplied

AUSTRALIAN travellers have reported losses of over $250,000 in internet scams already this year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says.

More than 100 travel-related complaints have flooded in to the watchdog with fake rental listings, bogus holiday vouchers and hackers the most common issues.

The sheer number of cases has prompted the ACCC to warn travellers to be cautious when booking their winter getaways, particularly if the deal seems too good to be true.

Revealed: The worst travel scams ever

"While you're making holiday plans, scammers are plotting to steal your hard-earned dollars," ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

"Our most commonly reported travel scam comes from holidaymakers finding that discount accommodation vouchers they paid for don't arrive, are fakes or simply can't be used as promised."

Scammers have also been hacking into popular travel websites to access email inquiries and then assume the identity of the property owner, prompting customers to make fake bookings.

Claire (real name withheld) was one of the victims of such scams. She had been making inquiries on travel  websites for Bali hotel deals and received a voucher via email for a heavily discounted luxury resort. At $1200 for 10 nights, it was a good deal. She paid using international funds transfer and booked her flights, but when she arrived in Bali the hotel had no knowledge of her booking.

Travel website Stayz is one of the sites that has been hit by a series of scams in recent months, with cyber criminals altering the details of listings on the Fairfax site.

Last August a scam targeted users of TripAdvisor's FlipKey service, where the owner's email account was hacked and fake contracts were made.

The ACCC advises travellers to take care when booking a deal.

"Before booking your holiday, do your homework by contacting the company directly using details that you have sourced independently through the phone book or an online search. Often scammers have no arrangements with the accommodation providers to offer discount stays," Ms Rickard said.

"Don't trust the legitimacy of an ad just because it appears in a reputable newspaper or online classifieds website as scammers often use these. If you receive an email out of the blue from a stranger offering a great holiday deal, delete it and do not click on any links or open attachments.

"Always keep your computer security up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a good firewall. If you think you have provided your financial details or sent money to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately."

Have you been the victim of a travel scam? Contact Kate.Schneider@news.com.au

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Travellers 'should pay extra for help'

More Australians are heading overseas and running into trouble, relying on under-staffed local consulates for help. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

AUSTRALIANS should pay extra for international airfares or passport fees to help fund consular services for those who get into trouble overseas, the Lowy Institute says.

The demands on Australian consular services overseas are growing at a time when staffing levels have stagnated due to chronic under-resourcing, a policy paper the think tank issued today finds.

Cheaper airfares mean more Australians are heading overseas while the type of travellers, the places they go and what they do are contributing to a significant increase in the need for consular assistance.

As well, far fewer Australians take out travel insurance when heading overseas than travellers from similar countries.

"The Australian public's perception of the services government can provide overseas has grown to a point where they seem to expect that the full suite of welfare services will extend to them across the globe no matter where they go or how they behave," Lowy research fellow Alex Oliver writes.

Several high-profile cases such as that of Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor, who was captured by militia in Libya, have stoked a vicious cycle of high public expectations and political intervention.

"Ministerial involvement in a consular case can be as much a public-relations trap as an opportunity," Mr Oliver writes.

"This cycle must be broken."

Politicians need to manage the media and public expectations of what help diplomats can actually give.

Mr Oliver suggests imposing a levy on passport fees or airline tickets to permanently boost the funding available for consular assistance.

A $20 premium on top of the cost of a passport could raise up to $40 million a year, he says.

Similar schemes are used in the UK and the Netherlands.

As well, Mr Oliver says DFAT should get the money it makes from notarial services like witnessing and authenticating documents in Australian embassies around the world.

Currently the money raised from the 180,000 such fees charged each year goes into consolidated government revenue, not back to DFAT.

A travel levy was also suggested last October by a parliamentary committee as part of an inquiry into the parlous state of the country's foreign service.

At that time, Foreign Minister Bob Carr poured cold water on the idea.

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Which nation makes the best travellers?

The English "if you buy them a beer they will be your best friend", says CNN. Picture: ThinkStock.

SOME nationalities are better than others at travelling. We often complain about the English whingeing and the Americans being too loud. But who are the best travellers? Which nationalities would we like to sit next to on a crowded plane?

CNN thinks they know the answer. This week they put together a list of the world's best travellers. 

They admit, it's not scientific. Maybe that's why you may be so surprised by their choices.

In number one spot, the nation that gives us the best travellers, according to CNN is Chile. 

"Chilled-out Chileans are true travellers, relishing the journey as much as the destination."

The number nine spot may surprise Australians. It's the English. 

While CNN admits the English have shortcomings "For the English, vacations and alcohol go together like cheap liquor and waking up in a foreign hospital attached to a drip. Always unable to communicate in the local lingo, they resort to speaking English slowly and loudly: "Call ... the ... embassy ... someone ... has ... stolen ... my ... kidney ..."

They do say that the English are great because they can speak English and if you buy them a beer they will be your friend for life. 

And Australians? We make the list at number seven. 

CNN says Australians make good travellers because of our "infectious laid-back nature".

What Americans can't stand about Australian travellers is our habit of "congregating and abbreviating".  

Here's the full list. What do you think? Which nation would you say makes the best travellers?

1.       Chileans
2.       Germans
3.       Americans (yes, they voted for themselves at number three)
4.       Swedes
5.       Japanese
6.       Italians
7.       Australians
8.       Chinese
9.       English
10.   Canadians

View the original article here

Which nation makes the best travellers?

The English "if you buy them a beer they will be your best friend", says CNN. Picture: ThinkStock.

SOME nationalities are better than others at travelling. We often complain about the English whingeing and the Americans being too loud. But who are the best travellers? Which nationalities would we like to sit next to on a crowded plane?

CNN thinks they know the answer. This week they put together a list of the world's best travellers. 

They admit, it's not scientific. Maybe that's why you may be so surprised by their choices.

In number one spot, the nation that gives us the best travellers, according to CNN is Chile. 

"Chilled-out Chileans are true travellers, relishing the journey as much as the destination."

The number nine spot may surprise Australians. It's the English. 

While CNN admits the English have shortcomings "For the English, vacations and alcohol go together like cheap liquor and waking up in a foreign hospital attached to a drip. Always unable to communicate in the local lingo, they resort to speaking English slowly and loudly: "Call ... the ... embassy ... someone ... has ... stolen ... my ... kidney ..."

They do say that the English are great because they can speak English and if you buy them a beer they will be your friend for life. 

And Australians? We make the list at number seven. 

CNN says Australians make good travellers because of our "infectious laid-back nature".

What Americans can't stand about Australian travellers is our habit of "congregating and abbreviating".  

Here's the full list. What do you think? Which nation would you say makes the best travellers?

1.       Chileans
2.       Germans
3.       Americans (yes, they voted for themselves at number three)
4.       Swedes
5.       Japanese
6.       Italians
7.       Australians
8.       Chinese
9.       English
10.   Canadians

View the original article here