Campaign

As cyber scams continue to evolve, CyberScotland Partnership is calling on individuals, families and businesses across Scotland to stay alert this summer.

Our seasonal campaign, Secure Your Summer, highlights the most common travel-related scams reported to Police Scotland – from fake holiday listings to phishing emails disguised as booking confirmations.

Criminals are quick to exploit holiday excitement and seasonal habits. Whether it’s targeting your social media activity, mimicking travel agencies or luring people with investment opportunities that lead nowhere, the risks are real. By staying informed and taking simple precautions, you can enjoy a safer, scam-free summer.

Throughout the coming months, we’ll be sharing practical advice, real-life warnings and protective tips to help you and your community stay secure.

Scammers don’t take holidays
Fraudsters prey on dreams of sun-soaked getaways with enticing offers of timeshares or holiday club memberships that often turn out to be worthless. These scams can involve high-pressure sales tactics, false promises of resale value or hidden fees. Always research the company, read the fine print and avoid rushed decisions.

Top tip: If you’re asked to pay upfront for something that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Sun, sea and scam-free
That luxury villa at a bargain price may not exist. Fake listings – especially those found on social media platforms or unverified websites – are a growing problem. Scammers post photos of real properties, take your money, then disappear.

Top tip: Book only through trusted travel agents or well-reviewed platforms. Always check reviews and look for secure payment options.

Don’t advertise you’re not at home
Sharing holiday plans online can make your home a target for burglars and alert scammers to your absence. It may also make you vulnerable to identity theft if too much personal detail is shared.

Top tip: Save the holiday snaps for after you return. Keep location tagging and dates off your public posts.

Book a trip, not a trap
Scammers send convincing emails that appear to come from legitimate travel companies, asking for confirmation, payment, or even login credentials. These phishing emails can lead to stolen data or financial loss.

Top tip: Never click links or download attachments from unexpected emails. If in doubt, go directly to the official website to verify bookings.

Report scams. Protect others.

If you or someone you know has encountered a scam, report it to Police Scotland by calling 101, or report to the National Cyber Security Centre . The more we share, the more we can protect one another.

Let’s work together to make Scotland cyber-resilient this summer and keep ourselves safe.

Additional Resources / For Further Reading:

The following websites include additional advice and links to other trusted resources where you can find out more:

National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)

NCSC has the power to investigate and take down scam email addresses and websites.

Further information on how to report different types of scams are available at:

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams

Police Scotland

Police Scotland has lots of fantastic resources on internet safety covering a variety of topics, including:

• Holiday scams – https://www.scotland.police.uk/what-s-happening/campaigns/2020/take-five/personal/holiday-scam/  
• Holiday fraud – https://www.cyberscotland.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/April-BulletinHoliday-Fraud.pdf  

Cyber and Fraud Centre – Scotland

Travel scam alert (June 2025) – https://cyberfraudcentre.com/travel-scam-alert-protect-yourself-from-online-booking-fraud

Money Saving Expert

Current scams to look out – https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/05/holiday-booking-scams/

Case study on a victim of a holiday scam – https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/team-blog/2024/08/holiday-scam-booking-dot-com/

Trading Standards Scotland

How to spot a scam and how to respond – https://www.tsscot.co.uk/holiday-scams/