One in three web users booking holidays online do not confirm the authenticity of travel providers, a study commissioned by Get Safe Online has revealed.
Some 22% of online holidaymakers do no check the web page is secure when entering payment details, the UK's national internet security awareness initiative said.
Tony Neate, managing director of GetSafeOnline, said fraudsters play on people's desire for a bargain holiday.
The research reveals that basic fraud-prevention measures are being overlooked and that many holiday makers are unaware of the most common scams.
More than two-thirds of respondents said they have never heard of holiday rental scams and 68% were unaware of bogus holiday sites.
In collaboration with the travel association ABTA, Get Safe Online has published a checklist to help UK web users book their last-minute getaways more securely.
This story was first published by Computer Weekly