The Baja California Sur (BCS) Cyber Police has seen an increase online scam trend that has affected some tourists.
Scammers target people who book their trips online. Tourists visiting Los Cabos have nothing to fear in this case.
Specifically, travel and accommodation reservations are the two main causes of this growing cybercrime. In 2023 it was a sporadic problem; Los Cabos Hotel Association confirmed several cases.
How are tourists targeted?
It should be clear to travelers that booking online should be a very simple process. Any third party should arouse suspicion.
When making reservations in Los Cabos, some tourists have fallen for scams that require them to pay through middlemen.
The Los Cabos Hotel Association has reported that some WhatsApp users have been posing as hotels and requesting payments through the app instead of paying for your hotel or flight on the same website you searched on.
Depending on where you thought you were booking and how long you planned to stay, you may have wasted up to $1,500 due to today’s sky-high rates.
“In Los Cabos there were some reported. I was specifically informed by two hotels that had this situation and even by WhatsApp. They linked you to the page and the reservation, they completed it via WhatsApp and there is the committed fraud.”
“…we also amplify as much as possible through different channels, especially through the channels of each company, always checking whether the pages are official,” said Executive President of the Los Cabos Hotel Association, Lilzi Orcí Fregozo
These types of internet scams don’t just target travelers booking tours and accommodations in Los Cabos. Travelers booking tours, golf courses or retreats may also be affected.
Cybercrime prevention advice in Los Cabos
The Los Cabos Hotel Association launched a new campaign to warn tourists about the dangers of booking travel online as cybercrime has become a major problem.
It is only right to try to solve this unfortunate problem before it worsens, as some tourists arrive at their hotel to check in only to find that their reservation is invalid.
In partnership with the Los Cabos Hotel Association and the Cyber Unit of the Baja California Sur Public Safety Secretariat, we offer the following tips to help you protect yourself from scammers during the Los Cabos holiday season:
- Avoid making reservations through third-party websites or apps, including WhatsApp.
- Choose well-known and reputable platforms for travel-related bookings.
- Check the authenticity of the website before making any transactions.
- Do not make prepayments directly into bank accounts, especially at private holiday homes.
Such scams are not exclusive to Los Cabos. Cancun and Acapulco, two more Mexican resorts have also been identified as major targets of cybercrime.
