Beware of scams as demand for summer tours increases

The peak of summer tourism is also the time when scammers take advantage of people's desire for promotions and subjectivity to set traps. Tourism businesses advise tourists to be alert and book tours from reputable sources to avoid falling into the trap of losing money.

As the demand for summer travel increases, the number of scammers also increases.

Impersonating reputable companies, offering fake promotions

The period from June to August every year is the "golden season" of the tourism industry when people and tourists flock to find tours, book flights, and hotels for vacations and exploration . It is also at this time that fraudulent activities in the tourism sector become more complicated, with increasingly sophisticated tricks.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long, a resident of Saigon Ward, said that he once lost nearly 10 million VND when booking a Phu Quoc tour for his whole family through a strange travel website. “I saw an advertisement for a 3-day, 2-night tour for only 2.5 million VND/person, including round-trip airfare and a 4-star hotel, so I thought it was a real summer promotion. The website looked very professional, with a hotline and detailed tour photos. I transferred a deposit to 4 people and was told that the tickets would be sent within 1 day. But then when I called back, no one answered the phone, and my account was locked. I knew I was scammed, but I had to accept it, because the information of the person receiving the money was also a personal account, not clear."

According to Mr. Long, to avoid falling into the scam trap, you should only deposit money through the official channels of large travel companies or through acquaintances. Losing money and then being cautious is not enough.

When transferring money, people need to do it directly at reputable units and businesses.

The case of Ms. Do Hong Nga, living in Thu Duc ward, is similar. She said she went online to find the fanpage of a famous travel company to book a summer tour for her family. "When I went to the fanpage, I completely trusted it because the images and content were 99% similar to the real page. The consultant was also very professional, asking me to transfer a deposit to my personal account. Feeling suspicious, I asked again and called this company but the phone was not available. After that, I went to the company and discovered that there was no such company and this website was also fake," Ms. Hong Nga said.

According to tourism experts, the above incidents are just the tip of the iceberg. Fraudsters often impersonate reputable companies, posting advertisements for “shockingly discounted tours”, “destructive combo prices”… to lure buyers. When customers transfer money, they immediately block contact and disappear without a trace.

Mr. Pham Anh Vu, Deputy General Director of Viet Travel Company, said that during the peak season, cybercrime in the tourism sector tends to increase. Common tricks include: unusually cheap tours, baseless visa commitments, fake airline or train tickets, booking "ghost" hotels or faking payment systems, travel company employees...

“We constantly warn customers not to believe in unrealistic offers. Tourists should carefully check the information before transferring money, and absolutely do not provide sensitive personal information through unauthenticated platforms. The safest way is to only book services through official channels such as: websites, call centers, ticket offices or transaction offices of travel companies...”, Mr. Pham Anh Vu advised.

Should book service early, check information carefully

Faced with increasingly sophisticated fraud, major tourism businesses in cities have proactively increased communications to protect customers’ rights; at the same time, they have coordinated with authorities to handle violations of the law in online tourism activities.

Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour Company, said that summer is the peak season in most tourism markets, so tourists need to proactively book tours early to have more options, good prices and limit risks from scammers. “Family groups with the elderly and children should choose package tours to ensure service quality and care throughout the trip. When booking a tour, you need to carefully read the information included or not included, payment conditions, tour cancellation... to avoid disputes,” Ms. Thu advised.

According to Ms. Bao Thu, if booking a tour online, tourists should choose websites or fanpages with a verification mark (green tick), carefully check the beneficiary name when transferring money, making sure it matches the company name. In addition, they should refer to reviews from reputable forums and communities for more information before making a decision.

Customers are advised by staff to buy tours at the tourism fair.

Not only communicating and recommending, businesses also invest heavily in products to increase experiences and service value, helping tourists feel secure in their choices. A representative of Ben Thanh Tourist said that to welcome the summer of 2025, this unit will deploy nearly 300 domestic and international tourism programs. Prices for domestic tours range from 1.29 million VND (Tay Ninh - Ba Den Mountain - Dinh Van Son) to 12.99 million VND ( Hanoi - Sa Pa - Ha Long ...). For international tours, prices range from 5.65 million VND (Siem Reap - Phnom Penh) to 134.99 million VND (East Africa Kenya - Tanzania exploration). People who want to buy a tour should go to the company's headquarters or book on the company's official website.

Although scams are becoming more sophisticated, according to a representative of Ben Thanh Tourist, people can completely avoid them if they proactively research, raise their vigilance and do not believe in "surprise" promotions. Instead of being caught up in "shocking price" advertisements, tourists should consider choosing a tour that suits their budget and needs, while prioritizing safety and clarity in service policies. In fact, reputable travel companies all have transparent working processes, complete contracts, clear payment and cancellation conditions, and are not ambiguous to "cheat" like unreliable information sites.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, a tourism expert, said that to prevent fraud, authorities also need to strengthen inspection and handling of fake websites, coordinate with businesses to track and handle fraudulent behavior in cyberspace, to ensure a healthy tourism environment for people. A complete summer vacation does not only come from beautiful destinations or high-class services but also from the alertness of each consumer when choosing and booking tourism services. By doing this, people not only avoid fraud traps but also contribute to building a healthy and sustainable tourism market.

According to Ho Chi Minh City Police, to avoid fraud, people need to be wary of websites advertising discounts on tours and hotel rooms that are unusual compared to the general market price; should choose travel agencies with full legal status or reputable hotel and room booking websites or hotel hotlines; do not transact with individuals whose identity and address are unclear; carefully check hotel information, get the hotel's phone number to call for verification before transferring a deposit...

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/canh-giac-voi-lua-dao-khi-nhu-cau-dat-tour-he-tang-cao-3365806.html