Cornish resort issues warning about scam Instagram booking site

Cornish resort reveals it has lost thousands in a scam run by an Instagram site that claims to offer half-price holiday deals

  • Landal Gwel an Mor resort said the scam is run by a site called everything_half 
  • This site, it says, uses stolen credit cards to make bookings 
  • Other firms listed on everything_half include Hoseasons and Unique Homestays 

A Cornish holiday resort has told of its frustration at being targeted by an Instagram booking scam that has resulted in £7,500 in lost revenue – and is warning other firms, and travellers, to be vigilant.

Landal Gwel an Mor, a resort comprising luxury lodges near Redruth, revealed that the scam is being run by a site called everything_half, listed as a ‘UK independent travel broker offering luxury getaways at affordable prices’.

The fraudsters, it says, booked customers into its lodges, telling them that they would pay half the going rate, and only once they were happy with their accommodation. Everything_half then paid the price in full online to Landal Gwel an Mor – but using stolen credit cards.

Landal Gwel an Mor, a resort comprising luxury lodges near Redruth, revealed that it has been scammed by this Instagram site – everything_half

The owners of the stolen cards then complained that they were being billed for a holiday they never took and retrieved their money.

The holidaymakers, meanwhile, paid their money to everything_half. So Landal Gwel an Mor was left without a penny.

The resort told MailOnline Travel that it only became aware of the scam when it was contacted by its credit card merchant provider about a fraudulent transaction.

It said: ‘On investigating the booking in detail, the telephone numbers associated with the booking were dead, but we eventually got hold of the guest who had stayed and he informed us he had booked the holiday via the everything-half Instagram site.’

Landal Gwel an Mor said other companies listed on the site included Hoseasons, Parkdean Resorts, Haven, Heart of the Lakes and Unique Homestays – and that it uses polished publicity shots, so it looks legitimate.

Companies listed on everything_half include Hoseasons, Parkdean Resorts, Haven, Heart of the Lakes and Unique Homestays

Landal Gwel an Mor, pictured, only became aware of the scam when it was contacted by its credit card merchant provider about a fraudulent transaction

Matt Way, Resort Director of Landal Gwel an Mor, said: ‘As soon as we became aware of this scam, we took measures to protect our customers and the business, making it our mission to warn the other holiday businesses listed on this site too, all well-established names in travel, spanning the country.

‘We’ve resolved the issue at our resort, but the danger is that anyone buying into this scam runs the risk of arriving on holiday to be turned away, linked to the fraud or having to pay twice.

‘People are so excited to be able to travel again, so we are really disheartened that their plans could be ruined by these fraudsters and that unsuspecting people are having their accounts stolen from.

‘This type of scam, at this time, is another blow to our industry – we are all trying to recover from being closed so losing revenue this way has a big impact on the businesses involved.’

Matt Way, Resort Director of Landal Gwel an Mor, said: ‘This type of scam, at this time, is another blow to our industry’

Landal Gwel an Mor has reported the scam to the police, Action Fraud and Instagram.

Instagram told MailOnline Travel that it was investigating the matter.

Everything_half has not responded to a request for comment. 

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