Holidaymakers in North Wales lost more than £130,000 to holiday fraud last year.

With an average loss of more than £2,000 per victim, this made the area the tenth highest in the UK for this crime,

In 2022, 63 reports of holiday fraud were made to North Wales Police.

This was part of a nationwide total of more than 6,000 reports, with a combined loss of £12.3 million.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which runs the ATOL scheme, is keen to prevent future holiday fraud.

They want holidaymakers to make sure their holiday provider is licensed with the ATOL scheme.

This comes as Brits get ready to spend an average of £2,525 on their next summer holiday, according to recent data.

Michael Budge, head of ATOL at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: "In the run-up to Black Friday, we are encouraging people to research thoroughly before booking their next holiday, as there can be a risk of getting caught out by hidden costs and extras, or potentially booking with fraudulent companies.

"We urge consumers to check for ATOL protection, book by credit card where possible, and take out travel insurance to offer layers of financial protection for their next package trip."

The CAA have offered some top tips to help prevent falling victim to holiday fraud.

They advise potential holidaymakers to do their research before booking a holiday to ensure the company is credible.

They also suggest checking the web address and not following links from unsolicited messages.

Where possible, they urge people to pay using a credit card when shopping online.

They also advise that you can look for the ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) logo and/or proof of membership of ABTA, The Association of British Travel Agents.

Other advice includes staying safe online by using three random words to create a strong password for your email that’s different from all your other passwords.

If a 2-step verification option is available, they recommend that you always set it.

People are also warned to be cautious of unexpected emails or messages offering unrealistic holiday deals.

If you receive a suspicious email, you can report it by forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk.

Finally, they recommend that you only fill in the mandatory details on a website when making a purchase, and if possible, don’t create an account for the online store when making your payment.

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.