Australian holidaymakers are pursuing a class action lawsuit against one of the world's largest banks after hundreds of false accounts were used in an international travel scam.
Over the past 18 months, tourists have wired millions of dollars into accounts with London-based Barclays Bank to pay for luxury accommodation in dream destinations around the world. The vacations are booked through popular holiday rental websites including HomeAway and FlipKey, which is mostly owned by TripAdvisor.
However, the Barclays Bank accounts are run by criminals who, after hacking the sites and ''phishing'' the original email inquiry, assume the identity of the property owner and steer customers into making bogus bookings.
The internet is awash with blogs and forums where victims recount how they booked holiday accommodation and travelled overseas, only to discover the property owner had never heard of them.
In the past 12 months, Australians have become a prime target. While some have been left stranded in Miami, Florida and Paris, it is the luxury Balinese villas closer to home that are proving the most popular bait.
Fairfax Media can reveal that a group of Australian victims and Bali villa owners has enlisted London-based law firm Edwin Coe - which has successfully tackled one of the world's largest banks in other group actions - to commence a legal action against Barclays Bank.
Read more: Scammed tourists begin class action
Over the past 18 months, tourists have wired millions of dollars into accounts with London-based Barclays Bank to pay for luxury accommodation in dream destinations around the world. The vacations are booked through popular holiday rental websites including HomeAway and FlipKey, which is mostly owned by TripAdvisor.
However, the Barclays Bank accounts are run by criminals who, after hacking the sites and ''phishing'' the original email inquiry, assume the identity of the property owner and steer customers into making bogus bookings.
The internet is awash with blogs and forums where victims recount how they booked holiday accommodation and travelled overseas, only to discover the property owner had never heard of them.
In the past 12 months, Australians have become a prime target. While some have been left stranded in Miami, Florida and Paris, it is the luxury Balinese villas closer to home that are proving the most popular bait.
Fairfax Media can reveal that a group of Australian victims and Bali villa owners has enlisted London-based law firm Edwin Coe - which has successfully tackled one of the world's largest banks in other group actions - to commence a legal action against Barclays Bank.
Read more: Scammed tourists begin class action