Beware of scams involving the purchase of cheap airline tickets during Tet (Lunar New Year).

As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, the demand for air travel increases sharply, leading to a surge in demand for cheap airline tickets. Taking advantage of this, scammers use social media platforms to create fake accounts advertising cheap airline tickets, aiming to swindle money from people.

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The latest tactic observed is that scammers join numerous Zalo groups, including groups for ticket liquidation or travel groups. They create Facebook and Zalo accounts with names like "Airline Ticket Office," "Level 1 Ticket Agent," using profile pictures of airline logos or professional-looking uniformed staff. They often proactively message people inquiring about tickets with attractive offers such as: " Diplomatic tickets," "Last-minute liquidation tickets at cheap prices," accompanied by a series of fake testimonials from previous customers to build trust.

The most sophisticated aspect of this scam lies in the "booking confirmation" phase. To gain the victim's complete trust, the fraudsters readily make bookings on the official airline websites. They then send the booking code (ticket code) to the customer via Facebook or Zalo, instructing the victim to verify it themselves. When the victim checks the airline website and confirms their name and flight, they immediately transfer the payment without suspicion. However, this is actually just a "reservation" code (usually valid for only 12-24 hours and not yet paid for). As soon as they receive the victim's money, the fraudsters cancel the booking or allow the code to automatically cancel, then block the victim on Zalo and disappear with the money.

Besides scamming people out of money for tickets, many fraudsters also trick victims with the "transfer error" tactic. After the victim transfers the money once, they will announce: "You entered the wrong information in the transfer details, so the system cannot issue the ticket," and ask for a second transfer to receive the ticket, promising to refund the first amount. Exploiting the panic and fear of losing their Tet holiday tickets, many people transfer money repeatedly before realizing they have been scammed.

In light of this situation, the Hanoi City Police recommend that people be more vigilant when buying airline tickets online, especially through social media platforms. People should book tickets directly through the official website or call the airline's hotline if they are not familiar with online booking. If using intermediaries, choose reputable companies or agencies with clear information and addresses. Before transferring money to the seller, carefully read the ticket code and ask the airline staff to verify the ticket information and flight schedule. If you detect any signs of fraud or suspect that your money has been stolen, quickly save evidence, messages, and money transfer statements and report it to the police for assistance and legal action.

Quang Minh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/canh-giac-voi-thu-doan-lua-dao-mua-ve-may-bay-gia-re-trong-dip-tet-post932395.html