MANILA — AirAsia Philippines warns the public against suspicious social media pages offering cheap domestic and international fares bundled with hotel accommodation, tours, and other activities.
This is amidst various reports regarding dubious Facebook pages bearing AirAsia’s brand name which started to appear, especially now that travelers are looking forward to the summer season.
Oftentimes, those victimized by online scams who fell for rock-bottom deals end up holding fake bookings that cannot be retrieved during check-in procedures. A victim who reached AirAsia claimed to have been enticed by a PHP1,999 all-in deal, which eventually was a scam after the alleged agent went offline after their transaction. Another victim said the offering seemed legit because of the testimonies from previous customers.
“While social media pages and communities serve as an information-sharing platform for travelers, we strongly recommend visiting only AirAsia’s legitimate social media platforms, such as Fly AirAsia where information on flight schedules and promos are posted. While we sincerely empathize with those victimized by scammers, we only honor transactions made through authorized AirAsia travel agent partners or via www.airasia.com and airasia move,” AirAsia Head of Communications and Public Affairs and First Officer Steve Dailisan shares.
Recent statistics from the Asia Scam Report reveal that 24.8% of Filipinos respond too quickly to scammers’ demands, while 21.1% choose to take a risk despite uncertainties about the online offering.
While some pretend to be a legitimate travel agent representing the airline, other bogus social media accounts contain more dangerous clickbait posts leading to malicious websites that often result in hacking.
“Think twice before closing an online transaction. Transact only from verified profiles and brand accounts. Double check with other legit online sources and always have reservations if the offer is too good to be true,” Dailisan added.
