Warning tourists about room booking scams during National Day holiday September 2

The Hanoi Department of Tourism has just sent a document warning tourists about fraudulent room bookings during the National Day holiday on September 2 to the People's Committees of communes and wards in the city.

Accordingly, recently, many subjects have appeared on cyberspace impersonating websites and fanpages of hotels and homestays to defraud and appropriate tourists' property, causing complications in security and order.

In particular, this year's National Day holiday is long with countless large-scale activities and events to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day in the Capital. The event will attract a huge number of visitors, but also poses many potential risks from subjects taking advantage of people's room reservations to commit fraud using common tricks.

The Hanoi Department of Tourism listed typical fraud cases such as impersonating famous hotels and homestays (using real names, logos, and images to create fake websites or fanpages with a large number of followers); listing super cheap prices and offering unusually low room rates to encourage a rush to book rooms immediately; requesting deposits to be transferred in advance via personal accounts or e-wallets, then notifying the victim of an "error" and asking them to continue transferring more money to appropriate the money.

The holiday season is a time for tourist scams to explode. (Photo: CTV/Vietnam+)

Therefore, the Hanoi Department of Tourism provides some instructions on how to identify and avoid fraud when tourists book rooms online, such as: when a hotel or homestay has many websites or fanpages with the same name, it is necessary to check for unusual signs (newly created, recently renamed but posting massive advertisements, shocking discounts; administrator positions in countries other than Vietnam; using many newly created virtual accounts/blank avatars to comment and give good reviews).

When booking a room, visitors need to ask the hotel or homestay to provide information about phone number, address, and business license. Check the business or individual account receiving the money to make sure it matches the information on the business license.

Before transferring money to book a room, people need to call the hotel or homestay directly to check. Absolutely do not continue to transfer money multiple times as requested by the hotel or homestay.

The Department recommends that people book rooms through reputable travel businesses licensed to provide travel services (find business information at the website https://quanlyluhanh.vn) or reputable booking platforms./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/canh-bao-du-khach-ve-thu-doan-lua-dao-dat-phong-dip-le-quoc-khanh-29-post1058210.vnp