Cheap travel packages: The same old scam.

Every summer, as the demand for sightseeing and relaxation increases, scams involving impersonating travel companies and ticket offices selling cheap travel packages (a package containing multiple products) reappear.

Sadly, despite the fact that the scam is not new, many people still fall for it, even those who have worked in the tourism industry for years.

People should choose travel packages from reputable companies to avoid wasting money. In the photo: Tourists visiting a tourist area in Ninh Thuan province.

Even people working in the tourism industry fall into this trap.

Having worked in the tourism service industry for 7 years, Ms. Vu Huyen (Nghia Do ward, Cau Giay district) shared that she booked tickets and a tour for 4 people to Buon Ma Thuot ( Dak Lak province) in early May with a total cost of over 30 million VND from ABC Travel Company (phone number 0847686...). Despite paying a 15 million VND deposit, 3 days before departure, they informed her that they could not arrange the tour and had to postpone the date or refund the money.

Ms. Huyen requested a refund and was told it would be processed after 4 days. Ironically, after 4 days, her phone number was blocked. When she asked someone to find the company's address in Ho Chi Minh City, she discovered it was a "fake address" and that these individuals had scammed many people.

Similarly, Ms. Trinh Linh (Co Nhue 1 ward, Bac Tu Liem district) was extremely upset to be a victim of the Facebook account Hoang Phuong Travel (phone number 03993231…).

Ms. Linh booked a combo package including a flight to Da Lat (Lam Dong province) and a 4-day, 3-night hotel stay, paying a deposit of 6.9 million VND to a person named Phuong. Later, Phuong sent the electronic flight code and said the hotel booking confirmation would be sent later.

Five days later, Phuong informed the hotel that the individual booking was cancelled due to a large group and that they needed to choose a different hotel, but Linh still hadn't received the booking confirmation. Only when she called both hotels directly did Linh find out that there were still many rooms available; upon checking her flight ticket code, she was shocked to find that her name wasn't on the booking.

Ms. Linh called to discuss the matter, and Phuong explained that due to a website system error, they would provide new tickets for customers, and then repeatedly made promises. Ms. Linh canceled the aforementioned services, demanded a refund, and posted a warning on social media. Phuong then asked her to remove the post, wrote a promissory note, and promised to pay after one month. When the deadline passed without payment, Ms. Linh went to Phuong's house in Chuong My district, but Phuong's parents refused to help, and Phuong disappeared.

Facebook user Pham Van repeatedly issued warnings after being scammed by Facebook accounts named "Cheap Air Ticket Agency VII2" and Nguyen Tien Dung.

Accordingly, Ms. Van booked a super-cheap Phu Quoc travel package, 4 days and 3 nights including airfare and accommodation, for 6 million VND per person. After confirming the booking, the scammer claimed to have booked the air tickets for the end of May 2024 and sent tickets with the names of a group of 6 people, requesting Ms. Van to transfer 50% of the total amount in advance. Having received the tickets, Ms. Van trusted them and transferred the money, but shortly afterward, she was blocked from contact. Ms. Van called the airline to check and found out that it was only a reservation code and not yet paid for.

Being alert isn't enough...

As a victim despite having worked in the tourism industry for many years, Ms. Vu Huyen warns that scammers are very sophisticated, creating websites to advertise tours and sending complete documents such as business licenses with official stamps and signatures. When Ms. Huyen made a video call to verify, the scammer answered immediately but deliberately showed glimpses of the office and staff to build trust.

With 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, Ms. Tran Thu Ha (Kien Hung ward, Ha Dong district) said that there are two types of tour packages: fixed departure dates and flexible departure dates. Fixed departure packages are usually reserved in advance by reputable travel agencies with hotels and airlines, and are intended for large groups. Flexible departure packages, on the other hand, are for individual travelers with non-fixed departure and return dates, making it difficult to verify their legal status. Customers face significant risks when encountering flexible departure packages.

Regarding this issue, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) Ha Van Sieu stated that perpetrators exploit people's desire for cheap deals by creating fake accounts and websites impersonating reputable companies and individuals to attract customers. Therefore, people should avoid strangers selling travel packages online who lack a history of reliable sales. The Vietnam National Tourism Administration always updates its official and legitimate database on digital platforms publicly, allowing citizens, businesses, and tourists to search and verify information.

The Information Security Department (Ministry of Information and Communications) has identified the "cheap travel package" scam as one of 24 types of online fraud currently occurring in Vietnam. Scammers may create fake websites/fan pages of reputable travel companies; falsify/hijack social media accounts; impersonate airline ticket agents; or create their own websites and social media pages to gain customer trust and then defraud them.

Hanoi city police have also repeatedly warned people to be cautious when booking cheap travel packages online to avoid losing money. If they discover any fraudulent activity, they should report it to the nearest police station for guidance on how to resolve the issue.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/combo-du-lich-gia-re-den-hen-lai-lua-post384315.html