Report Nightmare in Phuket: British Family's Pricey Villa Scam Uncovered

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of ABC News

 

A British family's dream holiday in Phuket descended into chaos when their £4,000 (176,000 baht) villa booking turned out to be a scam, leaving them stranded and scrambling for shelter. The Loaders, who had planned to spend Christmas in Thailand with their children and grandchildren, found themselves without a place to stay after a gruelling 30-hour journey.

 

Judy and Richard Loader arrived in high spirits, eager to enjoy a festive break. However, their excitement quickly turned to distress when they discovered the villa they booked through Booking.com did not exist.

 

Upon reaching the specified address, all that awaited them was the realisation that they had been duped. With darkness setting in and no immediate solution in sight, the family faced heightened anxiety, especially with children in tow.

 

Prior to their departure, the Loaders had reservations about the villa as repeated attempts to contact the property owner went unanswered. Despite expressing these concerns to Booking.com, they were assured their worries were unfounded and that any unforeseen accommodation expenses would be covered in the event of issues.

 

Sadly, when the scam was uncovered, the family waited for six hours in vain for assistance from Booking.com, eventually having to secure last-minute accommodation on their own.

 

Booking.com has since refunded the cost of the non-existent villa, with a deduction of £80, but the Loaders' ordeal didn't end there. The family's additional expenses for new lodgings, international phone calls, and unforeseen travel costs were not compensated. Furthermore, to add insult to injury, they discovered the fraudulent villa listing was still active on Booking.com even after being reported by consumer group Which?.

 

Judy expressed her frustration, saying, “Our distress was huge. Children in tears, no toilet, no food, no drink, foreign land and darkness descending.” It was a stark lesson for the Loaders and a sobering reminder to travellers to thoroughly vet online property bookings.

 

In light of this incident, there are growing calls for stricter regulations on online booking platforms. Amendments under the UK’s Online Safety Act now demand that digital platforms enhance their systems to prevent such fraud and combat illegal content.

 

Consumer group Which? has recommended steps like improved host identity verification, mandatory two-factor authentication, and a prohibition on external links in messages to crack down on scams.

 

In response, Booking.com has removed the fake listing and issued a statement reiterating its commitment to safeguarding users against scams. “We take listing verification seriously and have robust controls in place,” the company spokesperson said.

 

This unfortunate episode underscores the perils of online bookings, reminding travellers to exercise heightened caution and conduct thorough checks before proceeding with any transactions. For the Loaders, the holiday was both a nightmare and a valuable lesson in diligence.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-29

 

 

[Jim Blue]

Does this seem strange for some reason ?

[Quentin Zen]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

planned to spend Christmas

Was I in a coma?  Let me check my calendar...  

[BritManToo]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prior to their departure, the Loaders had reservations about the villa as repeated attempts to contact the property owner went unanswered. Despite expressing these concerns to Booking.com, they were assured their worries were unfounded and that any unforeseen accommodation expenses would be covered in the event of issues.

 

Sadly, when the scam was uncovered, the family waited for six hours in vain for assistance from Booking.com, eventually having to secure last-minute accommodation on their own.

Happened to me too, same Booking.com, but in Phnom Penh a few years back.

I just walked 5 minutes to a nice hotel and booked in using Booking.com in their reception.

Why would anyone wait 6hrs?

Booking.com paid the difference.

 

Gotta say, taking kids on a 30hr trip doesn't seem sensible, and the 3rd world is just too dangerous as a family holiday destination IMHO.

[ikke1959]

Now it is almost June... This is about Christmas... is this really news now???

[frank83628]

Airbnb is better for references and communication. Much better all round actually

[PJ71]

28 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Happened to me too, same Booking.com, but in Phnom Penh a few years back.

Was this on a 'banging' trip? you seem to mention them less for some reason now, what's happened??

 

29 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

3rd world is just too dangerous as a family holiday destination IMHO.

Are you referring to Thailand? what's dangerous about a family holiday here?

[BritManToo]

12 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

Was this on a 'banging' trip? you seem to mention them less for some reason now, what's happened??

 

Are you referring to Thailand? what's dangerous about a family holiday here?

 

Sex,

Yep, too old for that sort of game now .....

 

Dangers to kids,

the roads, the sidewalks, the pedestrian crossings, the heat, the sun, dodgy food, dodgy water, mosquitos,  snakes/scorpions, the sea, swimming pools, the hospitals, balconies.

[PJ71]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Dangers to kids,

the roads, the sidewalks, the pedestrian crossings, the heat, the sun, dodgy food, dodgy water, mosquitos, the sea, swimming pools, the hospitals, balconies.

All these things could pertain to any holiday destination where you're unfamiliar like the locals.

 

Too old for banging, shame....

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

All these things could pertain to any holiday destination where you're unfamiliar like the locals.

 

Don't think there's much of a dengue problem in Europe, and the pools have lifeguards, and traffic stops at pedestrian lights, not many maniacs driving pickups, when was the last time a tourist van/bus crashed in Europe?

[hotsun]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Happened to me too, same Booking.com, but in Phnom Penh a few years back.

I just walked 5 minutes to a nice hotel and booked in using Booking.com in their reception.

Why would anyone wait 6hrs?

Booking.com paid the difference.

 

Gotta say, taking kids on a 30hr trip doesn't seem sensible, and the 3rd world is just too dangerous as a family holiday destination IMHO.

Too dangerous for a holiday but ok to raise a family there? I guess with no other choice

[BritManToo]

13 minutes ago, hotsun said:

Too dangerous for a holiday but ok to raise a family there? I guess with no other choice

I don't have to pay millions for my Thai kids if they need hospital treatment, it's free.

Not to mention, they're used to the local traffic, food, water and wildlife.

[hotsun]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

I don't have to pay millions for my Thai kids if they need hospital treatment, it's free.

Thats nice, id rather be somewhere with a less chance they need a hospital

[PJ71]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Don't think there's much of a dengue problem in Europe, and the pools have lifeguards, and traffic stops at pedestrian lights, not many maniacs driving pickups, when was the last time a tourist van/bus crashed in Europe?

You mention 3rd world countries and now you're harping on about Europe, is Europe 3rd world?

 

 

[ChipButty]

1 minute ago, PJ71 said:

You mention 3rd world countries and now you're harping on about Europe, is Europe 3rd world?

 

 

Soon will be 

[PJ71]

18 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Soon will be 

Well, i actually thought that when i was writing that, many of the big inner cities in England are basically now already 3rd world ( with benefits )

[ChipButty]

This story is a bit vague, BDC should find alternative accommodation it does say that in the contract, the story says it took 6 hours to find some alternative place to stay, as it says it will be equivalent or better that what they booked, given it was Christmas that would be no easy task, and it seems like it was late in the day, BDC used to have an office in Phuket so that could have worked in their favour as they would know the area, Not like Airbnb were it used to be Indian call centers then you would have problems

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

 

Sex,

Yep, too old for that sort of game now .....

 

Dangers to kids,

the roads, the sidewalks, the pedestrian crossings, the heat, the sun, dodgy food, dodgy water, mosquitos,  snakes/scorpions, the sea, swimming pools, the hospitals, balconies.

All the things you are referring to here, is more dangerous for old people. Has nothing to do with children.

[carlyai]

Similar thing happened to us traveling internally a few hours to Nokorn Phonom.

Couldn't find the place from the picture shown on the booking site.

May have been like the booking site pictures 20 years ago.

We walked in, said hello, looked around and wifey said 'Shirley we're not staying here!'

We didn't ask for the money back just said goodbye and left.

Horrible.

So I gave them a really carp review, then had to live in fear of being prosecuted.

[ChipButty]

55 minutes ago, carlyai said:

So I gave them a really carp review, then had to live in fear of being prosecuted.

That's the problem in Thailand, 

[Presnock]

6 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

Does this seem strange for some reason ?

 

6 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

Does this seem strange for some reason ?

locally? not at all.  Need to spread stories like this every day to warn folks.  That is why Bkk is now call the Hub of scam IMO.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The Loaders, who had planned to spend Christmas in Thailand with their children and grandchildren,

Not sure Phuket is the ideal Christmas extended family destination...

[newbee2022]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of ABC News

 

A British family's dream holiday in Phuket descended into chaos when their £4,000 (176,000 baht) villa booking turned out to be a scam, leaving them stranded and scrambling for shelter. The Loaders, who had planned to spend Christmas in Thailand with their children and grandchildren, found themselves without a place to stay after a gruelling 30-hour journey.

 

Judy and Richard Loader arrived in high spirits, eager to enjoy a festive break. However, their excitement quickly turned to distress when they discovered the villa they booked through Booking.com did not exist.

 

Upon reaching the specified address, all that awaited them was the realisation that they had been duped. With darkness setting in and no immediate solution in sight, the family faced heightened anxiety, especially with children in tow.

 

Prior to their departure, the Loaders had reservations about the villa as repeated attempts to contact the property owner went unanswered. Despite expressing these concerns to Booking.com, they were assured their worries were unfounded and that any unforeseen accommodation expenses would be covered in the event of issues.

 

Sadly, when the scam was uncovered, the family waited for six hours in vain for assistance from Booking.com, eventually having to secure last-minute accommodation on their own.

 

Booking.com has since refunded the cost of the non-existent villa, with a deduction of £80, but the Loaders' ordeal didn't end there. The family's additional expenses for new lodgings, international phone calls, and unforeseen travel costs were not compensated. Furthermore, to add insult to injury, they discovered the fraudulent villa listing was still active on Booking.com even after being reported by consumer group Which?.

 

Judy expressed her frustration, saying, “Our distress was huge. Children in tears, no toilet, no food, no drink, foreign land and darkness descending.” It was a stark lesson for the Loaders and a sobering reminder to travellers to thoroughly vet online property bookings.

 

In light of this incident, there are growing calls for stricter regulations on online booking platforms. Amendments under the UK’s Online Safety Act now demand that digital platforms enhance their systems to prevent such fraud and combat illegal content.

 

Consumer group Which? has recommended steps like improved host identity verification, mandatory two-factor authentication, and a prohibition on external links in messages to crack down on scams.

 

In response, Booking.com has removed the fake listing and issued a statement reiterating its commitment to safeguarding users against scams. “We take listing verification seriously and have robust controls in place,” the company spokesperson said.

 

This unfortunate episode underscores the perils of online bookings, reminding travellers to exercise heightened caution and conduct thorough checks before proceeding with any transactions. For the Loaders, the holiday was both a nightmare and a valuable lesson in diligence.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-29

 

 

A lot of BS.

To find an alternative accomodation  in Thailand is not a problem at all

And phone calls are extremely low with Skype.

And food and drinks everywhere.

In addition they got their money back.

So what? 😳

 

[craighj]

Bookings.com take no responsibility for anything in reality.  They are all promises and no actual support!

 

I stopped using them for this exact reason!

[scorecard]

6 hours ago, frank83628 said:

Airbnb is better for references and communication. Much better all round actually

Depends on personal experiences. I booked a BNB small house for 2 nights, just North of Sydney, Australia. I asked for full details of what was provided, what I was responsible for etc.

 

Two hours before my flight from Thailand, on my way to Bkk airport to depart Thailand a long email from the owner listing what tenants can / cannot do / can / cannot touch / what tenants must thoroughly clean several times every day etc., including a box outside the front door with a keycode facility to open the front door. Tenant must call the owner (tenant didn't have a SIM working for Australia) and quote a security number then owner will release the to the door lock. Neighbor kindly allowed me to use his Oz based mobile to call the BNB owner.

 

Plus 'tenant must bring their own cleaning materials and cleaning cloths. And on day of departure the used cleaning cloths and cleaning liquids must be taken away by the tenant'.

 

Plus 'tenant must turn back the bed and lay out an old ripped, clean bed sheet on top of the bed sheet already on the bed'.

 

And a lot more.

 

I had just been to a pre planned meeting nearby (at local RSL Lifecare Office and village)  to discuss a one year lease of an apartment nearby which has been listed as totally unfurnished but in fact had it a bed / clean linen / bath towels and more.

 

Then went to the BNB house, on eventually entering the BNB house I found numerous large sticky post it notes with more items of can / cannot etc.

 

I decided to go back to the admin. lady who was taking care of the one year apartment rental and requested that I move in on the spot, which she agreed to.

 

Later same day went to local Telstra shop and bought a SIM card and started an account. I then called the BNB house owner who insisted that I must stay in her house for 2 nights and fulfill her instructions for a full house clean before I left.

 

I hung up but called back a few minutes later to request a refund which was refused. 

[CFCol]

7 hours ago, frank83628 said:

Airbnb is better for references and communication. Much better all round actually

Except it is banned in Thailand, though it's not policed

[CFCol]

18 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

A lot of BS.

To find an alternative accomodation  in Thailand is not a problem at all

And phone calls are extremely low with Skype.

And food and drinks everywhere.

In addition they got their money back.

So what? 😳

 

Tried booking somewhere over the Christmas period, last minute have you. No, I thought not.

[newbee2022]

5 minutes ago, CFCol said:

Tried booking somewhere over the Christmas period, last minute have you. No, I thought not.

Not a problem indeed. My personal experience when my kids/family visited me unexpected.

But I admit you have to call around.

[riverhigh]

"This unfortunate episode underscores the perils of online bookings, reminding travellers to exercise heightened caution and conduct thorough checks before proceeding with any transactions. For the Loaders, the holiday was both a nightmare and a valuable lesson in diligence."

 

I strongly disagree with the statement "valuable lesson in diligence".  The whole purpose of using an online booking agent is that they do the due dilligence so you don't. The only due dilligence required by the Loaders family was to select a reputable online booking agent which they did. I had a similar situation with Booking.com where i took a taxi to the accomaodation which haad been closed for some time. As a standard practice, I had purchased a sim card at the airport. I immediately reported my situation to booking.com and started looking for an accomodattion close by on their site. I found a place cheaper than the one I originally booked and carted my stuff on foot. I had to fend off all the vulture taxi drivers who wanted to be my best friend (smile). It was a few days before I was contacted by bookig.com and to be honest I can't remember what the outcome was.  I believe they gave me a 10% discount on my next booking,. Considering I paid next to nothing on the original room,  from my calculations 10% of nothing is nothing... 555. The main difference between me and the Loaders family  was that I was travelling alone "cheaply" and  without kids .... big difference.

[ronster]

30 hour journey 🙄