Thousands may have lost their money and their summer holidays in an online travel scam now investigated by police.

The company, based in Islington, north London, advertised cheap holidays on five websites but allegedly disappeared with the booking fees.

Locally at least 100 people complained that Fleetwood Holidays Ltd did not reserve their plane tickets or hotel rooms. But the Met's fraud detectives believe thousands more may have been scammed.

The firm, which also traded as Sun Orient Ltd, shut its offices at 137-149 Goswell Road last weekend and left no forwarding address.

Police have linked five websites to the case:

  • sunmedresorts.com
  • unbeatableholidays.com
  • holidaysforunder200pounds.com
  • holidayrez.com
  • holidayez.com

Detectives believe the firm ran each website for a short while, chopping and changing it "for the fraud to be continued", a Met spokesman said.

When customers tried to contact Fleetwood Holidays, its websites were down and the landline number was diverted to a switched-off mobile.

Islington Trading Standards have issued a warning about the firm after a barrage of complaints from customers.

Dozens of holiday makers have told their stories of woe on web forums like Trip Advisor and Holiday Watchdog.

"I don't know how these people sleep at night!" wrote one Patricia Lark after losing £878. "I'm gutted and so are the children. My mother is a cancer sufferer and is terminally ill, we so needed the break."

"I hope that they never operate again and con more people out of there honest hard earned cash!"

Another Watchdog contributor, Carolyn W, said she had paid for an all-inclusive trip to Salou, Spain, on August 1, but had no response when she tried to chase up the travel firm.

"Nothing. All that money gone, no confirmation and no holiday. It was to be our first holiday abroad with our five-year-old son. I'm completely gutted and feel sick."

Mormar44 wrote of his disappointment after having to tell his son and his girlfriend their holiday "wasn't going to happen".

"The old adage "if it looks too good to be true then it probably is" certainly fits in this case. I'll reflect on that tomorrow when I'm spending time at the police station, trading standards etc."

Fleetwood Holidays was not bonded by the UK's two holiday protection firms - the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL).

"Customers are unable to get redress from these organisations," Islington Trading Standards said.

It advised anybody booking a holiday to pay by credit card for transactions over £100 and to check beforehand that the travel company is ATOL and/or ABTA bonded.

ADVICE TO SCAM VICTIMS

Police and Trading Standards urged customers of the five holiday websites to do the following:

  • Contact the airlines and hotels concerned before travelling to find out whether or not you have been booked on.
  • Also complain to Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 or www.consumerdirect.gov.uk, which will forward details to Islington Trading Standards. They can give more advice.
  • If you paid by credit card, ask your card company to send out claim forms for a refund under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
  • If you paid by debit card, ask about the chargeback service and if by cheque, cancel it before it clears. Ask your bank to consider your case on an individual basis.