How to recognize and avoid scams involving 'cheap travel packages'

Signs of budget travel scams

According to the Information Security Department ( Ministry of Information and Communications ), in the "Cheap Travel Combo" scam, fraudsters post advertisements on the Internet and social media selling cheap tour packages and hotel rooms with many included benefits, asking victims to transfer a deposit (30-50% of the value) to reserve the tour package or hotel room, thereby stealing the deposit money.

Be wary of advertisements for tours and hotel rooms that are 30-50% cheaper than market prices.

Scammers often post advertisements offering visa services for overseas travel, promising a high success rate and a 100% refund if the visa is not obtained. After the victim transfers payment or a portion of the fee, the scammers will have the victim fill out the application form and complete the documents themselves. Then, they claim the victim provided incomplete information and refuse to return the money.

Alternatively, scammers may impersonate the websites and fan pages of reputable travel companies, falsifying photos of receipts and invoices, and requesting victims to transfer payment for tour costs. After the customer transfers the money, the scammers block communication and erase all traces. They may even impersonate or hijack social media accounts, contacting relatives on the victim's friend list claiming to be stranded abroad and in need of immediate funds.

These individuals also impersonate airline ticket agents, creating websites and social media pages with addresses and designs similar to those of official airlines or agents. They then advertise with very attractive prices compared to the general market to attract customers. If a customer contacts them, they will book the flight, send a booking code as proof, and request payment. After receiving payment, they do not issue the flight ticket and cut off contact. Because the booking code has not been issued as a flight ticket, it will automatically cancel after a period of time, and the customer will only find out about this when they arrive at the airport.

Be wary of offers.

To avoid falling victim to the aforementioned scams, the Information Security Department advises people to carefully research information when choosing travel packages, and to select tour, hotel, and flight booking services from reputable companies or through travel apps. Be wary of offers for travel packages at excessively low prices (30-50% cheaper than the market average); be especially cautious when travel agencies request a deposit to reserve a spot, and if possible, conduct direct payment transactions.

At the same time, pay attention to the signs of fake websites through their website names and domain names. Typically, the names of fake websites will be similar to real websites but may have some characters added or missing. Fake domain names often use unusual extensions such as .cc, .xyz, .tk…

When booking tours online, be cautious and carefully check the information to avoid being scammed.

In particular, for social media pages (Fanpages) that sell and promote travel packages, especially cheap travel packages and cheap airline tickets, people should choose social media pages with a blue verification badge (indicating registered accounts) or choose reputable social media pages where they know the seller's information well. Verify booking and flight ticket information to promptly detect any signs of fraud and report it to the nearest police station for guidance and resolution.

Mr. Vo Do Thang, Director of Athena Cybersecurity Center, suggests that to avoid falling victim to scams involving "cheap travel packages," customers need to cross-check information. Specifically, they should request that the travel package seller provide the address and phone number of the hotel at their destination. This allows them to verify with the hotel whether the tour company is offering any promotions or discounts. Next, customers should ensure the travel agency has a clear and identifiable contact, including a specific office address and transaction location. Finally, even if a face-to-face transaction is not possible, a video call should be recorded as evidence for future reference.

"Tour packages are different from selling clothes or cosmetics... Although they are also advertised online, the tour operator must be a clearly identified company to be able to collaborate with transportation and accommodation providers to offer discounted prices compared to other companies. Therefore, if only one or two individuals are advertising online, it cannot be trusted. Cross-checking information will significantly reduce the chances of falling into scams before booking a tour," Mr. Vo Do Thang shared.

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