World Cup: Fans warned against cowboy operators

A warning has been issued for soccer fans intending to travel to the World Cup to avoid unscrupulous outlets parading themselves as authorised travel agents.

Fans are being advised to use only licensed agents, to safeguard against a costly fiasco if travel arrangements don’t go according to plan.

The aviation industry’s travel trade licensing regulator Fintan Deere says, the pitfalls of paying cowboy agents are potentially disastrous.

Mr Deere said: "You have no come back if the firm goes out of business or is unable or fails to meet financial obligations to you as a customer."

Licensed travel agents have a bond for the protection of the consumer.