Police warn of fake travel agencies selling tours and concert tickets
Hong Kong police have warned the public about scammers impersonating licensed travel agencies to sell cut-price tours and concert tickets. Fraudsters have replicated agency names and logos to promote fake packages, including a HK$20,999 Yunnan-Tibet trip and Andy Lau concert tickets.
Hong Kong police have warned the public about a surge of fake social media pages and websites impersonating licensed travel agencies to sell cut-price tour packages and concert tickets. Scammers have replicated the names, logos and itineraries of at least two local travel agencies to promote fraudulent trips, including a HK$20,999 Yunnan-Tibet tour and a HK$39,999 Australia package, according to Sing Tao Daily.
Fraudulent pages have also targeted fans by offering tickets to Andy Lau Tak-wah concerts, claiming to eliminate scalpers and asking for only a HK$50 service fee on top of the ticket price to trick citizens into transferring money. When a reporter posing as a client contacted one of the pages, the seller offered a budget two-day Macau package that included hotel accommodation, return transport, buffet meals and tickets to House of Dancing Water and a water park. The seller pressured the reporter to make a quick payment, citing limited availability and providing both Faster Payment System (FPS) and bank account details.
The two affected travel agencies have posted warnings on Facebook. One agency stated scammers had copied its itineraries and stressed that it only accepts payments through corporate accounts. The other agency noted that fake accounts were using its full company name and urged consumers to use official channels and report any impersonation to both the platforms and police. A spokesperson for one agency said it had received inquiries from two customers but had not yet filed a police report. The agency had notified its management and the Travel Industry Authority.
Police recorded 6,973 online shopping scams in the first eight months of the year, with losses totalling HK$230 million. They advised consumers to buy from reputable sellers, consider face-to-face transactions and check sellers' contact details, payment accounts and page names before paying. Anyone who suspects a scam should stop the transaction, call the Anti-Scam Helpline on 18222 and keep relevant records for a police report. The public can also use the Scameter website or mobile app to check suspicious account names, phone numbers, payment details, email addresses and URLs.