People in North Yorkshire urged to not become victims of holiday scams
People booked what they thought were legit getaways but they weren't
There is a warning to be on your guard against scammers posting fake holiday adverts online.
Stats show 50 people in North Yorkshire booked what they thought was a legit getaway last year before realising it was all a lie.
Andy Fox works at the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit and says they are expecting another spike in cases over the coming weeks.
He said: "People are thinking about their summer holidays and with the cost of living crisis I guess people are wanting their money to go further and therefore, they are tempted by what seems to be too good to be true offers.
"Anybody can put social media posts up with white sands, blue seas, swimming pools and cocktails to get us into the holiday mood and once you get that and it's a cheap price then you're 90 percent of the way there to losing your money unfortunately.
"Fraud is kind of like that silent assassin as it were. They come in through your computer, your telephone and it all seems so genuine. You're not physically hurt as such but the mental impact can be quite severe."