Agents' concern over fraudulent bookings increases in 2023

One respondent said: "I lost several thousand of pounds on a fraudulent booking in January 2022, using fake or stolen credit cards.

"It is devastating to a small business and has made me much more alert to potential fraud in the future."

Another – who said they avoid taking bookings within seven-10 days of travel – advised agents to use specialist software to check the cards of new customers.

One agent added: "Unfortunately, whilst the chargeback model is in place, nothing will be done about fraud as it is always the retailer that ends up footing the bill, and the credit card companies don’t need to do anything as they are not at a loss."

The findings come after a bogus travel agent, who defrauded hundreds of holidaymakers in a scam worth around £1.2 million, was jailed for nine years.