Fake Felixstowe Cruise Ads on Facebook Target Holidaymakers

• holiday-scams
• facebook-fraud
• felixstowe

Scammers are using fake cruise tours from Felixstowe Port to steal personal and financial data. Learn how to spot and avoid this holiday hoax.

Scammers Target Facebook Users with Fake Felixstowe Cruises

Suffolk County Council has issued a warning to the public after fraudulent adverts on Facebook promoted fake cruises departing from Felixstowe—one of the UK’s busiest container ports, not a passenger port.

While the ad has now been removed, officials caution that it could still have reached many unsuspecting users. The ad linked to a fake website designed to harvest personal and financial information from victims lured in by the promise of a “relaxed coastal cruise.”

The False Promise

The scam advertised Felixstowe as offering a calm, coastal escape, with a mix of history and scenic sea views. Despite having a beach and pier, Felixstowe is not equipped to serve as a cruise departure point. Instead, it handles over 45% of the UK’s sea freight, managing more than four million containers annually.

• Claim: Cruises departing from Felixstowe
• Reality: Felixstowe is a container port, not a cruise terminal
• Objective: Trick users into entering personal and payment information

How to Spot Holiday Scams

Suffolk County Council provided tips to avoid falling victim to scams, especially holiday-related fraud:

• Research holiday deals thoroughly using independent, reputable review sites
• Only use secure payment methods and trusted online retailers
• Pay with a credit card for purchases over £100 to get Section 75 protection
• Be suspicious of deals that seem too good to be true or lack verifiable contact details

What to Do If You're Targeted

If you believe you've interacted with a fraudulent travel offer, take the following steps:

• Contact your bank immediately to report the potential scam
• Report the incident to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud
• Monitor your financial accounts for suspicious activity

Previous Cruise Scams Highlight the Risk

Cruise-related scams are not new. In a notorious case from 2022, Jody Oliver conned victims out of over £320,000 by posing as a Carnival Cruise Line captain, selling fake luxury holidays. His victims included people who used their life savings to fund dream holidays that never existed.

This recent Facebook scam underscores the need for continued vigilance, particularly when booking travel online. Always verify the source before entering sensitive information or making payments.