Baguio City, Philippines - A number of travelers seeking solace, spirituality, and a much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life are expected to visit the summer capital of the Philippines during this Holy Week.
Amidst the excitement and anticipation of this privileged time of year, the Baguio City government has issued a timely advisory to the public, warning them to be aware of accommodation scams that continue to victimize unsuspecting tourists.
Scammers are said to be persons posing as owners of accommodation establishments and even plain residential houses.
The latest victim of this scam, as cited by the Baguio City Public Information Office, is the famous Philippine actor Derek Ramsay.
Ramsay claimed to have been scammed by a social media page named “Camp John Hay Forest Homes Cabin (Lodging Services)” recently, which had 11,000 followers.
The incident was already reported to the Baguio City Police Office anti-cybercrime unit to investigate, including all other online scamming complaints.
Following this incident, city officials remind the public to verify the legitimacy of transactions by calling the Permits and Licensing Division at 619-3184 to confirm the names of registered owner/s and their contact numbers.
A list of accredited accommodation establishments in the city may also be verified via visita.baguio.gov.ph.
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