Airbnb issues warning over holiday scams fuelled by AI and social media
The property booking platform has issued new safety tips alongside anti-scam organisation Get Safe Online.
Holidaymakers have been warned to be vigilant of scams as they book trips away, as new research says nearly two thirds of people struggle to identify AI-generated images of properties.
The research from Airbnb and Get Safe Online found that the average amount lost to fraud is now £1,937 – a figure which has been rising steadily in recent years.
The study said that scams related to booking holidays were among the most common types of fraud in the UK, just behind credit card fraud and phishing scams.
Airbnb said AI and social media were causing additional problems for consumers, with the research finding that despite 68% of those asked saying they were confident they could spot a fake advert for a holiday, nearly two thirds were unable to spot AI-generated images of holiday properties when shown them.
