$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
fake holiday travel deal scam
Scammers advertise deeply discounted holiday travel packages via social media and email, collecting full payment for flights and hotels that are never booked.
“holiday shopping scam”
→ 0%Key indicators
Usually targetsTravelers
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers create professional-looking travel websites or social media ads offering holiday travel packages at prices 40-60% below market rates.
2
Victims pay in full for flights, hotels, and activities, then receive fake confirmation emails with fabricated booking numbers.
3
When the travel date arrives, victims discover no reservations exist, and the company has vanished with their money.
What to do first
Book travel through established platforms and verify any deal by calling the airline or hotel directly with the confirmation number.
Related terms
holiday vacation package scamfake Christmas travel dealHoliday shopping scamsEmailStableTravelersFamiliesAdultsFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesCanadaUnited Kingdomholiday vacation package scamfake Christmas travel deal
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Thomas, 35, a travelers, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate holiday shopping scams situation while using Email. Scammers create professional-looking travel websites or social media ads offering holiday travel packages at prices 40-60% below market rates.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: Victims pay in full for flights, hotels, and activities, then receive fake confirmation emails with fabricated booking numbers.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: When the travel date arrives, victims discover no reservations exist, and the company has vanished with their money.
The outcome
Thomas realized something was wrong when travel package price is significantly below comparable offers from known booking platforms. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Book travel through established platforms and verify any deal by calling the airline or hotel directly with the confirmation number. Thomas's experience shows why travel package price is significantly below comparable offers from known booking platforms and company has no verifiable physical address, phone number, or online reviews are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Travel package price is significantly below comparable offers from known booking platforms
- Company has no verifiable physical address, phone number, or online reviews
- Full payment required upfront with no refund or cancellation policy
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Book travel through established platforms and verify any deal by calling the airline or hotel directly with the confirmation number.
- ✓Pay with a credit card for chargeback protection, and never wire money or pay by gift card for travel.
- ✓Report travel scams to the FTC and the American Society of Travel Advisors.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Keep the full sender address, domain, attachments, and—if possible—the raw email headers.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- The FTC received over 55,000 travel and vacation scam reports in 2024, with losses peaking during the November-December holiday booking period at a median of 1,000 dollars per victim.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Book travel through established platforms and verify any deal by calling the airline or hotel directly with the confirmation number.
- ✓Pay with a credit card for chargeback protection, and never wire money or pay by gift card for travel.
- ✓Report travel scams to the FTC and the American Society of Travel Advisors.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
The FTC received over 55,000 travel and vacation scam reports in 2024, with losses peaking during the November-December holiday booking period at a median of 1,000 dollars per victim.
FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Travelers, Families, Adults
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, United Kingdom
Primary channel
Email — Holiday shopping scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Travelers are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The ongoing nature of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The FTC received over 55,000 travel and vacation scam reports in 2024, with losses peaking during the November-December holiday booking period at a median of 1,000 dollars per victim.
Source notes
- FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about fake holiday travel deal scam
How does the fake holiday travel deal scam work?+
Scammers create professional-looking travel websites or social media ads offering holiday travel packages at prices 40-60% below market rates. Victims pay in full for flights, hotels, and activities, then receive fake confirmation emails with fabricated booking numbers. When the travel date arrives, victims discover no reservations exist, and the company has vanished with their money.
What are the warning signs of fake holiday travel deal scam?+
Travel package price is significantly below comparable offers from known booking platforms Company has no verifiable physical address, phone number, or online reviews Full payment required upfront with no refund or cancellation policy
What should I do if I encounter fake holiday travel deal scam?+
Book travel through established platforms and verify any deal by calling the airline or hotel directly with the confirmation number. Pay with a credit card for chargeback protection, and never wire money or pay by gift card for travel. Report travel scams to the FTC and the American Society of Travel Advisors.
Who is most at risk for fake holiday travel deal scam?+
This scam primarily targets Travelers, Families, Adults. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, United Kingdom and typically appears on Email.
Is fake holiday travel deal scam still active?+
fake holiday travel deal scam is currently on our watch list. It has been reported across US, CA, UK. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
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