In an increasingly digitalized travel environment, many travelers find themselves the victims of fraudulent websites masquerading as official platforms. These scams, perfectly presented to inspire confidence, lead to unnecessary expenses and complicated procedures. Find out more about the methods used by these sites, the abuses they report, and tips on how to avoid being taken in. Unfortunately, even seasoned travelers can fall into these traps.
Deceptive but well-honed SEO
The operation of these sites is well-honed. Thanks to aggressive SEO, they appear at the top of Google results. Their design mimics that of official sites: administrative terminology, flags, logos, well-organized tabs... Everything is designed to inspire confidence and encourage clicks. They promise a "premium" service, often in the form of assistance, translation or data verification, but this in no way justifies the prices charged. For example, ESTA authorization to enter the United States, which officially costs $21 (but will soon double - more information here), can be billed at up to $99 on these fraudulent platforms.
This phenomenon is not limited to visa applications such as ESTA or AVE. Other sites exploit similar niches, notably to "facilitate" online flight check-in. You'll pay a symbolic one euro, but you'll then be encouraged to sign up for a monthly subscription of 79 euros, with no real service.
Always check that you're on an official site
All this is a reminder of the importance of systematically checking that you're on an official site before taking any action or making any payment. It's a simple principle, but one that's becoming increasingly difficult to apply as fraudulent sites perfect their methods. Vigilance is essential, because even experienced travelers can be tricked. The example of Lionel Rabiet, director of TO Voyages d'Exception is proof of this: "I'm one of the victims of these scams. And yet I thought I'd been warned, as I work in tourism", he confides, after having paid 59 euros for a Malaysian visa, which was nevertheless free on the official embassy website.
