Last checked at 22 Sep 2010 07:00
When You Go on Holiday, Leave the Fraudster Behind
~ GB Group and Pure Holiday Homes signs deal that aims to put an end to holiday woes ~
LONDON - 22 September 2010 - The UK's National Fraud Authority (NFA) is currently estimating annual fraud losses to be in excess of £3.5 billion within the travel sector - a large part of which is identity fraud.
A recent survey by GetSafeOnline.org and travel organisation ABTA on online travel sites revealed that as many as 30% of people fail to confirm the authenticity of their travel providers. Almost a quarter do not check if the website they are using is secure and 36% say they do not track their card payments after making a booking.
To combat the problem of online travel fraud, Identity Management experts GB Group has signed a deal with holiday rental company, Pure Holiday Homes to ensure the summer holidays do not turn into summer nightmares. The deal, which will see Pure Holiday Homes implement GB Group's identity verification solution URU, means customers can book holidays with confidence, knowing the people they deal with and the property they are booking do actually exist.
Powered by GB Group's award winning ID3 technology, URU helps businesses sign-up new customers faster and more effectively than any other ID verification solution on the market. By integrating URU onto its website, Pure Holiday Homes will verify holiday home owners when they register to advertise their property on the site and confirm they are who they say they are - and as a result give holidaymakers greater peace of mind.
Pure Holiday Homes will be the first holiday letting company in the UK to mitigate the risk to the customer through the use of ID Verification services. Generally landlords do not undergo any vetting prior to placing their holiday homes online for rent; hence this sector is an attractive market for identity fraudsters.
Sean Collins, CEO of Pure Holiday Homes says, "Up until now companies have been treating the symptoms and not the actual cause when it comes to protecting consumers from online travel fraud, through additional services like travel insurance. Our aim is to take the risk away from the customer and tackle the route of the problem. We have been very impressed with GB Group's technology and believe they have the best solutions in place to help travel companies address an industry-wide issue."
Richard Law, CEO at GB Group commented, "The holiday letting industry is growing rapidly and is becoming a very lucrative market for fraudsters. We feel very strongly about combating the problem of online fraud. Our technology is developed specifically with this in mind and we feel confident working with companies like Pure Holiday Homes will see a turn in the marketplace and a reduction in fraud levels."
Pure Holiday Homes has commissioned its own online survey recently asking whether official identity checks on owners advertising on pureholidayhomes.com will give holidaymakers extra peace of mind when transferring money directly into owners' bank accounts. More than half of the 1,396 respondents said this would be a crucial prerequisite when booking a holiday, with another 44% saying it would certainly provide peace of mind. Not one respondent said it is not a concern.
"This is proof of the fact that, when made aware of it, consumers rate stringent verification checks as a fundamental requirement when booking a holiday, despite few of them currently verifying owners' authenticity," says Collins. "However, it is a great indicator of the need for online verification - and evidently in the value we will be offering our customers following the implementation of GB Group's ID3 technology."
About GB Group plc
GB Group is the UK's leading Identity Management business. It helps organisations recognise and verify all elements of an individual's identity at every interaction. Through the application of our proprietary technology, we enable organisations to connect, communicate and transact with people safely, responsibly and profitably. In doing so, we help businesses like O2, Laura Ashley, HMRC, BBC TV Licensing, Ordnance Survey, HBoS, LloydsTSB, ASOS.com, Virgin Games, PartyGaming, Betfair and Ladbrokes understand their customers better to create more meaningful customer interactions - and reduce costs across the business.
GB Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange (GBG). For more information, please visit GB Group's website: www.gb.co.uk.
GB Group - because identity matters™
About pureholidayhomes.com
pureholidayhomes.com is a member of the Pure Group of Companies. Founded in 2004, the Pure Group of Companies comprises PURE International, the luxury real estate company with a well known and respected brand and PURE Destinations, an international travel and rental management business. pureholidayhomes.com was unveiled in the autumn of 2009 to provide second homeowners across the world with a fresh and innovative direct from owner holiday rental brand. With over 11,400 properties, pureholidayhomes.com is the fastest growing holiday rental portal in the sector.
For any further information, please contact:
Maxine Morgan, GB Group
Email: maxine.morgan@gb.co.uk
Number: 07976 538556 / 01244 657333
Adrie Wessels, Bite Communications
Email: adrie.wessels@bitecommunications.com
Number: 07907 979945 / 020 8834 3474