Russians have been warned about fraudulent schemes targeting tourists before their trips. Scammers claim that there is a problem with a hotel booking, airline ticket, or tour, and then demand urgent additional payment. The Association of Tour Operators of Russia advises against transferring money immediately and to first verify the information through official channels.
Haste should be particularly alarming. Scammers may write just before departure and claim that without immediate additional payment, the booking will be canceled. Along with the message, the person is sent a link to a fake payment page, where they can lose not only money but also bank card data.
It is recommended to check such notifications through a travel agent, tour operator, hotel, or airline, by independently finding their official contacts. Do not click on links from unexpected emails, SMS, and messenger messages. It is also not recommended to pay for tours, hotels, and tickets to an individual's card – official payment services of companies, bank links, or the SBP should be used for settlements.
Another common lure is "last-minute tours" with 50-80% discounts on social networks and messengers. Suspicion should be raised by communication exclusively through a messenger, a demand for a quick prepayment, and unfamiliar payment details.
Separate schemes are aimed at travelers to Europe. They may receive letters allegedly from EU bodies demanding to fill out a special "declaration" and pay a fee. ATOR advises checking such requirements through official consulate websites and not paying for unknown registration forms.
Scammers also create copies of airline, hotel, and booking service websites with attractive prices. Such pages are used to steal money and bank details. In some cases, attackers may indeed make a booking to make the scheme look more convincing, but the terms will be unfavorable, and the client may not have a full contract.