How to recognize and avoid 'Cheap travel combo' scams

Signs of cheap travel scams

According to the Department of Information Security ( Ministry of Information and Communications ), in the form of "Cheap travel combo", scammers will post articles advertising cheap tours and hotel rooms on the Internet and social networks with many accompanying utilities, asking victims to transfer a deposit (from 30 - 50% of the value) to deposit for tours and hotel rooms, thereby appropriating the deposit.

Beware of advertisements for tours and hotel rooms that are 30-50% cheaper than the market price.

Or scammers post advertisements for foreign tourist visa services, promising a high success rate and a 100% refund if the visa is not granted. After the victim transfers the payment or part of the payment, the scammers will let the victim fill out the application form and complete the application... Then they will use the excuse that the victim provided missing information and will not return the money.

Or the subjects impersonate the websites and fanpages of reputable travel companies, fake photos of receipts, payment invoices and ask the victims to transfer money to pay for the tour. After the customers transfer money to pay for the travel services, the subjects will block communication and erase all traces. They even fake or hijack social media users' accounts, contact relatives on the friends list to say they are stranded while traveling abroad and need money immediately.

The subjects also impersonate airline ticket agents, create their own websites and social networking sites with addresses and designs similar to those of airlines or official agents, then advertise with very attractive prices compared to the general level to attract customers. If customers contact, the subjects will book airline tickets, send the booking code as collateral and ask the customer to pay. After receiving payment, the subjects do not issue airline tickets and cut off contact. Because the booking code has not been issued to the airline ticket, it will automatically cancel after a while and the customer will only know about this when arriving at the airport.

Beware of invitations

To avoid falling into the above scams, the Information Security Department recommends that people carefully research information when choosing travel packages, and should choose tour booking, room booking, and airline ticket booking services from reputable companies or through travel apps. Be cautious when receiving offers to buy travel packages at very cheap prices (30-50% cheaper than the general market price); be especially careful when the travel agency asks for a deposit to hold a seat, and if possible, make direct payment transactions.

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

When buying a tour online, you need to be careful and check the information carefully to avoid being scammed.

In particular, for social networking sites (Fanpage) that sell and promote travel packages, especially cheap travel packages and cheap air tickets, people should choose social networking sites with a blue tick (registered accounts) or choose reputable social networking sites where they know the seller's information. Confirm the information about booking rooms and air tickets to promptly detect signs of fraud and report to the nearest police station for guidance on how to handle the situation.

Mr. Vo Do Thang - Director of Athena Cyber Security Center - said that to avoid falling into the "Cheap travel combo" scam, customers need to cross-check information. Specifically, ask the place selling the travel package to provide information about the address and phone number of the hotel at the destination. From there, you can check with the hotel about the promotional program with the tour sales partner or not? Next, customers check that the tour sales unit must have a clear identification, including the office address and specific transaction location. Finally, if there is no direct transaction, there should still be a video call and a recording to serve as evidence for comparison after the transaction.

"Tourism is different from selling clothes, cosmetics... Although it is also advertised online, the tour organizer must be a company with a clear identity to be able to link and cooperate with transportation and accommodation units to have preferential programs with cheaper prices than other units. Therefore, if only 1-2 individuals advertise themselves, it cannot be trustworthy. Cross-checking the above information will limit the possibility of falling into a scam trap before booking a tour", Mr. Vo Do Thang shared.

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