PNP-ACG, Scam Watch Pilipinas urge Filipinos to stay vigilant vs. travel scams this summer
The Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) in collaboration with Scam Watch Pilipinas are urging Filipinos to stay vigilant to travel-related scams as the summer season begins.
PNP-ACG Acting Director Brigadier General Bernard Yang said that recognizing online travel scams helps Filipinos develop the online safety skills needed to identify fraudulent content on social media especially travel scams this summer.
To combat deceptive online scams, educating Filipinos about travel scams is a practical step towards building online safety awareness and the ability to detect manipulation,” Gen. Yang said.
Scam Watch Pilipinas Co-Founder Jocel de Guzman emphasized their ongoing effort to inform the public, noting their seasonal campaigns, including the current warning about 14 summer travel scams, following similar initiatives for Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
“We previously released the ‘12 Scams of Christmas’ and ‘8 Love Scam Profiles’ for Valentine’s, and now we’re highlighting the ‘14 Travel Scams’ for summer,” De Guzman said. “We’re once again reminding the public to stay vigilant against the 14 most common travel scams identified in the campaign—from fake accommodations to bogus travel deals. Vigilance is crucial in the fight against scammers,” De Guzman added.
Scam Watch Pilipinas has identified 14 prevalent travel scams targeting unsuspecting tourists, spanning online and in-person deceptions. These include: fake accommodations advertised at impossibly low rates, fake Wi-Fi hotspots designed to steal personal data, and too-good-to-be-true deals on flights and hotels that vanish after payment. Travelers should also be wary of ‘free’ vacation traps with hidden costs, fake travel agents who disappear with payments, and overpriced ‘exclusive’ tours. Charity cons, counterfeit cash, hidden CCTV cameras pose additional risks, and fake taxis charge exorbitant fees. Online, scams include the false sale of lost luggage on Facebook, fake SIM cards, and cheap airline tickets offered on social media. Finally, fixers promising convenience at transport hubs are also a common scam to avoid.
Gen. Yang also urged the public to report travel scams to the National Anti-Scam Hotline 1326 or PNP-ACG Hotline at (02) 8723-0401 (loc 7491). They may also call 0968-8674302, 09671360322, or 09929893889,
A significant shift in scam tactics has been observed in the Philippines, with anti-scam app Whoscall reporting a sharp decline in SMS scams—down 68.3% year-over-year—and a simultaneous rise in scam calls during the first quarter of 2025. The app’s data shows SMS scam numbers dropped from over 2 million to 648,239.