Jail for fraudster who used luxury villas to steal holiday savings

A fraudster who used letting agency’s websites to con people into booking bogus Mediterranean holiday villas has been jailed for two years at the Old Bailey.

In pleading guilty to 13 counts of fraud by false representation Andrew Ryder, 47, admitted to stealing more than £120,000 from 13 different victims over 12 months.

The sentencing comes as the NFIB continues to process reports of holidaymakers who have fallen victim to similar types of holiday letting frauds.

A City of London Police investigation discovered how Ryder advertised online luxury villas in St Tropez, Cannes and Verbier (Switzerland) to rent. Prices started from 6,500 euros a week.

In an attempt to avoid detection he left false contact details, operating under the names of Andrew Hockey and James Carnegie.

Ryder, who had addresses in South London, Oxfordshire and the Czech Republic, would lie in wait for holidaymakers to express an interest and then use high-pressure sales tactics to force people into booking one of the villas.

Those who succumbed were emailed a booking form containing instructions to wire money into a pre-paid credit card account and an overseas account.

A deposit was usually paid first and the fraudster would then stay in contact until he had received the full payment, after which he would disappear.

Victims were spread across the UK, making it difficult for police forces to link together the crimes.

But once the City of London Police, which is the National Lead Force for fraud, took up the case initial enquiries quickly led to a full investigation.

Detectives identified Ryder through documents used for verification of ID when he opened the accounts to receive the stolen money.

In July 2009 he was tracked down to a house in Crystal Palace and arrested by detectives.

Supt Bob Wishart, from the City of London Police, said:

“Via the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau we are receiving more reports of villa fraud and are working in close partnership with the travel industry to combat this crime.

“People booking holiday villas in 2011 should use reputable travel companies and double-check all the available details on the property adverts, even when on legitimate websites.”

Anyone who thinks they have fallen victim to a holiday villa fraud or are concerned at the authenticity of an offer can contact Action Fraud or their local police force.