Stargazing Holiday Scam Leaves Dozens at Empty North Yorkshire Field

Samantha Cook sought a respite from her “relentless” work demands by arranging a surprise getaway for herself and her fiancé. While browsing local glamping options, she discovered a “stargazing dome” advertised at £99 per night, promising a futuristic pod featuring a transparent canopy and “breathtaking” vistas of North Yorkshire’s night sky. The events manager and mother-of-one soon received booking confirmations from a company named Star Domes, which included a key code and an address in the small village of Knayton. After making childcare arrangements, Samantha and her partner Ryan Swain departed from Malton for their unique escape. As they approached their intended location, the couple could not locate the dome. Samantha then inquired at a local pub for directions to what she believed was a prominent local feature. However, the individuals at the pub expressed regret and informed her that she had fallen victim to a scam. The 39-year-old recounted her reaction, stating, “I was devastated, I burst out crying because I had Ryan in the car.” She added, “It was our last weekend until New Year that we had a full weekend together without work, so it was a bit gutting.” Samantha, who is pregnant, and Ryan are among numerous individuals who have been defrauded by a scam website, resulting in dozens of people arriving at an empty farmer’s field rather than the promised celestial views. Ryan, 34, described the situation, saying, “Sam was mortified, in tears and heartbroken.” He observed, “The website, looking back on it, looked really authentic and legitimate.” He further explained, “Everything was in place and then obviously when you put the postcode in, it takes you somewhere.” Julian Potter, a local farmer, has observed approximately 30 bewildered holidaymakers arriving at one of his fields over the last six months. He commented, “The effect on me is negligible but these poor people have come up here.” Mr. Potter recounted, “We had a couple who were coming here for their first wedding anniversary, you could see the excitement in their eyes.” He further elaborated: “Young families with kids, they have no idea until they get here that they’ve lost their money and they’re not going to go on holiday – it’s absolutely heartbreaking.” Mr. Potter mentioned that a nearby caravan park and the local pub have also had the task of informing numerous disappointed visitors about the scam. He noted that the websites promoting these domes frequently contained minor typographical errors and typically remained active for only a few days before vanishing and then resurfacing under a new name. He added, “The police just can’t keep up with putting them down.” The images used for the stargazing domes, also known as bubble tents, were illicitly taken from a well-known Airbnb location in Australia. BBC News contacted the authentic holiday rental company to notify them of the fraudulent activity. The company stated they had reported the “frustrating and unfair” matter and confirmed no involvement with the issues occurring in the UK. Janice Kirby, 55, from County Durham, represents another individual who fell victim to this scam. She discovered the offer on social media and promptly made a booking. Janice commented, “I thought this would be a nice change because it was very luxurious and looked gorgeous.” She continued, “I didn’t think any more of it and then a couple of days later, I realised I didn’t have any confirmation email.” Fortuitously, Janice encountered a Facebook post from Mr. Potter’s farm, which served as a warning about the scam. Janice stated, “I’d have been turning up at the weekend if I hadn’t seen it.” She expressed her feelings, saying, “I felt stupid. I always thought I would never fall for anything like that.” She added, “It’s right what they say, if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.” Reflecting on the experience, Janice noted that there were indications the website lacked legitimacy. She explained, “There was an 11:00 check-in and a 14:00 check-out the next day. Normally it’s the other way around.” She concluded, “I was over the moon but thinking logically, that would never happen.” Janice’s bank approved a full refund after two transactions were debited from her account. Samantha and Ryan’s bank similarly reimbursed their funds. The BBC attempted to reach the individuals responsible for the star dome breaks but has not yet received a response. Rob Lilley-Jones, a consumer expert from Which?, stated that these types of scams are occurring with “increasing frequency,” with perpetrators leveraging new technology. He commented, “When big sums of money are involved it is no surprise people out there are going to try and make a quick buck.” Mr. Lilley-Jones further remarked that it was “really hard to police scams like this,” asserting that “thousands” occur daily. He advised that anyone who has been defrauded should first contact their bank before reporting the incident to the police and Action Fraud, the national reporting center for fraud. North Yorkshire Police confirmed receiving a report of the scam from the proprietor of a nearby caravan and glamping site, which they subsequently referred to Action Fraud. A spokesperson for the force urged anyone affected to report the scam. They also advised individuals to thoroughly verify the address, seek out contact details, and review the terms and conditions when making a booking and submitting payment. The spokesperson further recommended cross-referencing trust mark labels and online reviews from multiple sources. Samantha and Ryan stated that the website had fabricated Trustpilot-style reviews, a booking calendar, and other conventional indicators of authenticity. They informed the BBC that their trust in others has diminished. Ryan remarked, “You become a victim and you question your everyday life.” He continued, “I had people doing things out of the goodness of their heart and I was asking if there were ulterior motives.” He concluded, “It affects everything, it’s not just financial. It affects your mental health, it affects your trust and it affects your outlook on life.”