Hundreds of customers scammed by fake room bookings in Nha Trang

Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism (Nha Trang serves as the capital of central Khanh Hoa province), said these fake fan pages have targeted several four and five-star hotels, deceiving customers into losing their deposits.

The scammers typically pose as hotel consultants, offering services and pushing for advance payments. Once they receive the money, they disappear, leaving customers to discover the fraud only when their names don’t appear in the hotel’s booking system.

Attempts to contact the scammers often result in blocked or unanswered calls. The department warns that this is a systematic scam affecting multiple victims. "If such behavior is encountered, tourists should report it immediately to the authorities," Thanh advised.

Nguyen Mong Tuong Ny, a representative of Havana Nha Trang Hotel, revealed that their hotel has been targeted by fraudsters who create fake pages and slightly modify contact details. These scammers often request a 50% deposit to appear legitimate.

A VnExpress investigation found that these scammers often impersonate well-known four and five-star hotels and resorts in prime areas along Tran Phu coastal road, such as Vinpearl Resort, Comodo, Melissa, Senia, and Havana.

Despite warnings from the hotels, many fake pages continue to aggressively promote themselves, misleading and scamming customers out of significant amounts of money—up to tens of millions of Vietnamese dong (VND10 million =US$406).

The Tran Phu coastal road area, home to many large hotels in Nha Trang city. Photo by VnExpress/Bui Toan

A tourist from Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem district reported falling victim to a scam when attempting to book rooms for herself and 11 friends in mid-August. A social media account named "Thao Cherry" provided convincing advice, prompting her to pay VND5 million (US$203) as a deposit. The account then demanded an additional VND8 million for a room code. After the payment was made, the contact disappeared. Local police have recorded nearly 100 similar complaints.

Authorities have identified the suspect as Nguyen Thi Thu Thao, 30, from Ninh Xuan commune, Ninh Hoa town, and believe she is currently residing in Ho Chi Minh City. Given the online nature of the scam, victims have been directed to file complaints with Ho Chi Minh City police.