Travel Scams

Bogus flight, hotel and package sites that take payment for reservations that don't exist.

Messages posing as your hotel asking to 're-verify' card details, sometimes using real booking data.

Sites and agents charging inflated or bogus fees for visas, ETAs and travel authorisations.

Fake apartment, villa and car rentals that take a deposit for a property that isn't available.

Imposter 'airline help' numbers and social accounts that steal payments and booking details.

Bogus policies that take premiums for cover that doesn't exist or won't pay valid claims.

Unlicensed guides and bogus tour operators who take payment for tours that don't happen as promised.

Unofficial 'taxi' and transfer touts who overcharge, reroute, or take prepayment and vanish.

Bogus event, attraction and transport tickets sold online that don't work at the gate.

Messages demanding card 're-verification' to 'secure' a booking, capturing full card details.

Bogus 'your trip is cancelled, claim a refund' messages that steal card and banking details.

High-pressure sales for worthless timeshare contracts and vacation clubs — plus fake 'exit' services that charge upfront to escape them.

Phishing attacks and fake platforms that steal loyalty account credentials to drain hard-earned travel miles and points.

Fraudulent eSIM activation sites and fake roaming packages that charge for data connectivity that never works.

Third-party sites charging inflated fees to 'assist' with passport renewals — a process done directly through the official government service.

Bogus cruise booking sites and imposter agents selling non-existent cabins at prices designed to attract first-time cruise shoppers.

Bogus travel agencies — online and street-based — that take full holiday payments for trips that never materialise.

Fraudulent short-term rental hosts who impersonate legitimate listings, collect deposits, and leave guests without accommodation.

Third-party sites charging unnecessary fees to apply for trusted traveller programmes enrollable only through the official government Trusted Traveler Programs portal.

Fraudulent sites selling counterfeit health certificates, vaccination records, and travel medical clearances that carry legal and health risks.

Bogus claims handlers and imposter airline services that charge processing fees to access compensation that either doesn't exist or is freely available through official channels.

Fraudulent car hire sites and listings that take deposits for vehicles that aren't available — or add hidden charges at pickup.

Bogus packages bundling event tickets with travel and accommodation for high-demand events — collecting payment for tickets and bookings that don't exist.

Unofficial websites that charge inflated fees to submit visa or Electronic Travel Authorisation applications that travellers could file directly with the government for free or a fraction of the cost.

High-pressure holiday resort presentations that use prizes and free gifts to lure attendees into signing expensive long-term holiday club or timeshare contracts.

Unofficial websites and callers that charge fees to process airline refunds or flight compensation claims that passengers could pursue free of charge directly with the airline.

Fraudsters posing as Airbnb hosts direct guests off the platform to pay a security deposit via bank transfer, then collect the payment and disappear.

Fraudsters posing as loyalty scheme support or third-party brokers steal frequent flyer and hotel points by requesting account credentials or directing victims to fake transfer sites.

Fraudulent emails and texts pose as airline upgrade offers, harvesting card details or account credentials from passengers willing to pay a fee to move to business or premium class.

Fraudsters posing as courier companies or embassy agents demand payment for 'customs fees' or 'release charges' on supposed travel documents being delivered, then collect the fee and deliver nothing.

Fraudsters threaten to post fabricated negative reviews about a traveller's business or personal travel unless a fee is paid, or demand payments from hospitality businesses in exchange for removing damaging fake reviews.

Fraudulent websites and touts sell pre-booked airport fast-track security, immigration, or check-in services that either do not exist or are available free, charging for something the passenger never receives.

A staged detour delivers tourists to a 'special' gem shop where near-worthless stones are sold at huge markups, usually on the false promise of resale profit back home.

Drivers refuse the meter, rig it, or quote inflated flat fares to overcharge tourists, sometimes adding detours to commission-paying shops along the way.

Rental operators accuse returning tourists of causing pre-existing damage and demand large on-the-spot payments, often backed by intimidation and a passport held as deposit.

Money changers and cash handlers use sleight of hand, folded notes, confusing rates, and hidden fees to hand tourists less money than they are owed.

Venues lure tourists in with cheap drinks or a free show, then present an enormous bill enforced by intimidation, with hostess drinks and hidden charges doing the inflating.