Police and KwaDukuza Local Municipality on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal have warned tourists about fraudulent activities where people visiting the area have fallen victim to fake accommodation bookings.
In a statement jointly issued by the municipality’s tourism body, Ilembe Enterprise, and police on Tuesday, said cases ranging from fake accommodation bookings, guided tour packages, and phishing schemes designed to steal personal and financial information from travellers and tourists have been reported to the police.
Police said investigations are under way and vowed that no stone will be left unturned in pursuit of criminals who are out to bring the tourism industry to its knees and in turn defraud the state of substantial amounts in revenue.
The tourism body said scammers are luring tourists with ridiculously low prices that are too good to be true, using fake websites.
“Police in conjunction with Ilembe District Municipality’s tourism entity Enterprise Ilembe, private establishments in the tourism and leisure industry wish to alert residents and visitors of a growing trend of online scams targeting tourists that are visiting or planning to visit the area’s tourists destinations,” read the statement.
According to the tourism body, common scams identified so far are fake accommodation listings on online platforms offering non-existent or unavailable accommodation, counterfeit tour packages offering “exclusive” deals for guided tours that do not exist.
Police also warned of phishing scams where scammers send emails or messages requesting payment or personal information under the guise of confirming bookings or itineraries.
As advice to tourists, the tourism body and police urge visitors to verify the authenticity of the accommodation facility by using reputable booking platforms and contacting establishments directly to confirm reservations.
Tourists are also warned to avoid sharing personal information or financial details in unsolicited messages or emails.
To combat this scam, the tourism body said it is working closely with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts, urging victims to report such incidents to the nearest police station to tackle these issues and ensure the safety of visitors.
“We are committed to protecting the integrity of Ilembe District as a premier tourist destination and we thank our law enforcement officials and stakeholders who responded with urgency and alerted all concerned parties when such incidents were reported.
”We are confident that with enough details coming forward, the police will make a breakthrough to curb these cyber crimes that harm the region’s economy,“ said Siyabonga Mazibuko, CEO of Enterprise Ilembe.
To report suspicious activity, visitors are urged to contact the Ilembe Tourism Hotline at 0800 123 456 or email [email protected]