Holiday warning for Brits as scammers use new hotel room trick to fleece tourists

BRITISH holidaymakers have been warned of a new hotel scam that fleeces travellers out of their hard-earned cash.

Crooks are targeting unsuspecting travellers in their hotels and getting hold of their card details using a simple trick – but it can easily be avoided.

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As British tourists check in to hotels this summer, they should be aware of a brazen new scam designed to steal your personal details.

The latest criminal phenomenon taking shape starts with someone calling up your hotel and asking for your room number.

Once reception puts them through, they can lie and tell you they are calling from the hotel.

The crooks then ask you to confirm your card details and are able to clone your card without ever having seen it.

To protect yourself, you should never pass over any personal details like card details on the phone.

Tell the caller that you will come down to reception and confirm them in person to minimise any risks that scammers are behind the call.

The warning comes as Brits have been told of a popular new European scam that is “easy” to fall victim to.

Cybercriminals are targeting unsuspecting tourists using “shoulder surfing” to steal personal data in seconds while you enjoy holidays abroad this summer.

Those distracted by their surroundings abroad and using their phone are easy pickings for “shoulder surfing” where a person tries to steal personal data by watching from over your shoulder as you use a phone or other device.

However, there are plenty of ways to foil the potential thieves plans, including using face recognition technology, shielding your phone from prying eyes and always setting strong passwords.

Meanwhile, Spanish police have warned Brits to be on their guard against thieves who have come up with a disgusting new way to steal from tourists.

Pickpockets are very common in holiday hotspots and constantly come up with new ways to distract their victims, while taking their belongings.

Some criminals in Barcelona have taken to spitting on tourists and then offering to clean up their phlegm as a distraction technique.