Britons hit by holiday scams worth millions of pounds The bureau has today issued a warning to the public about the risk of holiday booking fraud. The campaign, launched alongside the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), Get Safe Online and Action Fraud, highlights the increasing danger of being swindled. According to the campaign, fake airline tickets were the most common booking scam, accounting for 45 per cent of all incidents reported to the police last year. A third of the swindles reported were for holiday accommodation, with a particularly high percentage for properties in Spain and in London during the Olympics. The increasing number of self-catering villa rental sites advertising directly to the consumer has made this area a bigger common target for fraudsters. Nick Trend, Telegraph Travel's consumer editor, has previously published 10 tips for holidaymakers to follow to avoid holiday villa fraud. Package holiday fraud and major events in long-haul destinations were also cited as targets for criminals. These included the pilgrimage to the Hajj and major sporting events such as The Ashes, where high demand can snare people into falling for false deals. Holidaymakers are also warned to watch out when making visa applications, particularly the ESTA requirement for the US, which was identified as another potential area for swindlers. As part of the campaign the organisations published advice on how to avoid becoming a victim. The guide can be downloaded from the ABTA website here.