A famous buffet chain in Hanoi issues a warning.

Maison Sen stated that for several months, fake Fanpages and websites impersonating the brand have been continuously appearing to trick customers into transferring money to reserve tables, even though the restaurant does not require advance payment.

Inside Maison Sen restaurant in Thanh Xuan ward, Hanoi .

On May 14th, Maison Sen seafood buffet chain issued another warning about brand impersonation aimed at defrauding customers on social media and unofficial websites.

According to the restaurant, individuals are often impersonating the brand's official Fanpage, requesting customers to transfer money in advance to reserve a table or receive a promotion. In some cases, they even provide personal account information instead of the business's official payment information.

The establishment confirms that it does not require individual table reservations to be paid in advance. Customers only pay directly after their meal. Deposits are only required for groups of 20 or more and must be confirmed through the restaurant's official channels.

This isn't the first time this buffet brand has issued a warning. In recent months, Maison Sen has repeatedly posted information about fake Fanpages that trick customers into transferring deposit money. Many of these fake pages even have more followers than the brand's official page, making it difficult for customers to distinguish between them.

Brands are warning about fake Fanpages and scams involving deposit transfers.

In a public social media post, a customer reported that their first time dining at Maison Sen with a friend resulted in them being "fooled by a fake page," and being asked to transfer a deposit. After transferring the money, they were then informed that the transfer was "incorrect" and instructed to scan a QR code to receive a refund. This tactic has appeared in many recent online reservation and booking scams.

Another customer shared a similar experience when contacting a fake Fanpage to reserve a table at Maison Sen. After transferring the deposit, the customer was informed that the transfer details were incorrect and had to follow instructions to get their deposit back.

The practice of impersonating Facebook pages and websites to trick customers into transferring money is not only happening with restaurants but is becoming a common tactic in the tourism and service sectors recently. Prior to the peak summer tourist season, the Vietnam National Tourism Administration repeatedly warned about these "scams" in the digital environment as demand for tours, hotels, airline tickets, and dining services surged.

These individuals often impersonate verified Facebook pages of hotels, resorts, restaurants, and travel agencies; create websites that mimic the official interface, and then request customers to transfer deposit money. In some cases, they even send fake links to request login information for bank accounts or social media accounts, or impersonate travel support staff, shipping companies, or airlines to contact customers.

The Department of Tourism advises people to only book services through the official websites and Fanpages of businesses; not to transfer money to personal accounts without verification; and not to access strange links or provide confidential information in any form. Tourists should also be wary of offers and packages that are unusually cheap compared to the market.

Maison Sen is famous for its seafood buffet.

Maison Sen currently serves a high-end seafood buffet every day of the week, with a regularly changing menu to ensure quality and variety. The brand has three locations in Thanh Xuan, Hoan Kiem, and Cau Giay wards.

The price for the lunch buffet is 515,000 VND for adults and 279,000 VND for children. The price for the dinner buffet is 565,000 VND for adults, while the price for children remains at 279,000 VND.

Source: https://znews.vn/chuoi-buffet-noi-tieng-ha-noi-canh-bao-post1651488.html