Many tourists have been scammed when booking resort rooms in Mui Ne.

The fake Facebook page impersonating The Cliff Resort & Residences was discovered by the authorities, and it included the word "Phan Thiet" instead of the official page.

The Binh Thuan police have just issued a warning about a situation where scammers are using real images of resorts and hotels to create fake websites and fan pages, tricking customers into transferring money to bank accounts for fraudulent purposes.

Many tourists who booked rooms through Facebook pages featuring the names and images of resorts in Mui Ne have paid or put down a 30-50% deposit.

Local police recorded three cases of tourists being scammed online at The Cliff & Residences in Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, in June. After customers paid a 50% deposit, a fake resort website sent booking confirmations via email, then blocked further interaction. Earlier this year, The Clay Mui Ne resort in Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, also reported that over 80 tourists fell victim to a fake resort website, resulting in the loss of hundreds of millions of VND.

Scammers share a common method: they create fake fan pages, post real photos of the resort, but use fake phone numbers and bank accounts to trick customers into transferring money. Only when customers arrive at the resort and make reservations do they realize they've been scammed.

Notably, the fake website displayed a bank account number under the name of the resort. This led tourists to mistakenly believe it was legitimate and transfer money to the scammers.

Online payment information from a scam website.

According to the police, the scammers often set up their own hotlines, ready to advise customers when they call; after receiving the money, they even send confirmation messages that the booking has been made... in order to gain trust.

To avoid being scammed, the Binh Thuan Police Department advises tourists to carefully research information and choose booking services from reputable companies or through major travel apps. For added security, customers can request to see the business license of the partner company.

Tourists should also be wary of offers with excessively low prices (30-50% cheaper than the market average), be cautious when partners request a deposit to reserve a spot, and if possible, only conduct direct payment transactions.

Those booking online should be aware of the signs of fake websites through their website names and domain names. Fake websites usually have names that are very similar to real websites, but with added or missing characters; a closer look will reveal these discrepancies.

Travelers should choose social media pages with a blue checkmark (indicating registered accounts) or reputable social media pages where they know the seller's information well, and double-check booking information to promptly detect any signs of fraud.

Phan Thiet's beaches are still unspoiled, making them a popular choice for tourists on their vacation.

From the beginning of the year until now, tourism activities in Binh Thuan have been vibrant, attracting 4.6 million visitors, an increase of 5.01% compared to the same period last year, with international visitors increasing by 91.2%. Revenue from tourism activities reached over 11,800 billion VND, an increase of 4.3%.

With the increasing demand for travel and leisure, booking hotels and resorts online has become a popular choice due to its convenience and speed. As a result, scammers have taken advantage of this to defraud travelers.

The Binh Thuan Provincial Police warn that this type of crime will continue to increase in the coming period, with sophisticated and difficult-to-control forms of fraud. Upon detection, residents and tourist areas should report and provide information to the nearest police force for timely action.

TH (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nhieu-du-khach-bi-lua-dat-phong-resort-o-mui-ne-388376.html