Avoiding all kinds of scams when booking rooms during Tet (Lunar New Year)

Booking a hotel room might seem like a simple task, but if you're not careful, you could lose millions of dong and find yourself stranded in an unfamiliar place.

Following the incident where a tourist was scammed out of over one billion VND when booking a resort through a resort's fan page, other tourists need to be more cautious when booking rooms during peak season – a time when scammers take advantage of people's desire to travel and relax. Don't let a memorable trip turn into a terrible experience just because you were scammed when booking a hotel room.

Tri Thức - Znews notes the scams involving hotel bookings and how to avoid them, especially with the upcoming Lunar New Year 2026 and peak tourist seasons.

Check website and fanpage information.

Scammers often create fake fan pages and websites impersonating famous hotels and resorts. They copy the interface, logo, and images 100% from the official fan page to build trust. They even hire services to artificially inflate likes and followers and obtain verified badges. Once tourists fall for the trick, they request bank transfers to reserve rooms.

Tourists should check the following details:

• Website domain name : If it's fake, the domain name will be in the form "khachsan.xyz" or "khachsan.vip".
• Information on the fanpage : Scam fanpages often lack complete information, and the phone number is usually a personal number or a disposable SIM card.
• Check the location on Google Maps : Search for the hotel name on Google Maps to see if the location matches the information provided or actual photos. Check for long, detailed reviews or just a few lines of fake reviews.

Never book rooms through unfamiliar apps or via Zalo, Messenger, or Telegram messages from strangers claiming to be hotel receptionists or travel company representatives.

Beware of cheap combo deals.

Be wary of cheap, all-inclusive travel packages (round-trip airfare, 2 nights hotel, transportation, entrance tickets) priced under one million VND per person, often accompanied by fake reviews. Scammers exploit people's desire to save money by requesting bank transfers to secure the offer. However, after payment, they block your number or provide a non-existent booking code.

Fraudulent travel and hotel packages often fail to provide verification codes (Airline code, Hotel Information ID), lack business licenses or tax identification numbers for travel companies, use personal bank accounts, and have names that don't match the company name. Note that these companies often run promotions during off-peak seasons.

Book your room on a reputable platform.

To avoid unnecessary financial losses, you can book your accommodation on reputable online booking platforms such as Booking.com, Agoda, Traveloka, Airbnb, etc. These platforms usually offer payment insurance, clear refund policies, and 24/7 customer support.

However, travelers should only choose accommodations with 50 or more reviews and an average rating of 8.0/10 or 4.0/5 or higher.

Verify before payment

This is a very important step to avoid being stranded upon arrival because there are no rooms available, but many tourists unintentionally overlook it.

If you book through an online app , you need to call the accommodation's hotline or call center directly to confirm your reservation. Previously, there have been cases where online travel agencies (OTAs) failed to synchronize room availability data, resulting in multiple bookings for the same room simultaneously, leaving foreign tourists without accommodation in Phu Quoc ( An Giang ).

If you book through a website or fan page , say no to making bank transfers or deposits without directly verifying with the accommodation provider. Scammers often use excuses like "daily deals" or "room reservations for just one hour" to pressure you into making a quick transfer.

If you are paying a deposit for a room, request a signed contract/confirmation slip, or a refundable transfer via e-wallet.

Protecting personal information

Besides recognizing scams, you also need to protect your personal information to prevent scammers from accessing it.

• Do not install unfamiliar apps, especially those linked to your bank account.
• Do not share your bank account information or OTP with anyone, including those claiming to be from the hotel or your company.
• Avoid publicly sharing your phone number and travel itinerary on social media.

Source: https://znews.vn/ne-du-chieu-tro-lua-dao-dat-phong-dip-tet-post1617550.html