There is a saying that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. As electronic and social media have made advertisements easier than ever, there is a growing number of scams, especially leveraging the tourism industry. Here’s what one should keep in mind to avoid scams while booking for travel at home or abroad.  Ways to Avoid Scams while Doing Travel Bookings  Check for Website Authenticity  Website authenticity is the first and foremost way to avoid travel booking scams.  What’s the typical process people follow for booking? They go to Google and type in their keywords like ‘7 days vacation package to (desired destination)’.  Read more: Solo Trip: Tips for Travelling Alone for the First Time Many fake websites leverage these keywords and advertise on search engines. As a result, they tend to show up at the top of the search results. Fortunately, one can easily check where there is an “AD” mark next to the website link.  There are several ways to check an authentic site. An efficient approach would be to check for the Domain Authority (DA) using free online tools. It is better to avoid sites with lower DA scores.  Avoid Too Good to Be True Offers Data harvesting and tracking is another way scammers target tourists and travelers. The moment you put in a keyword in a search bar regarding a booking, you will notice enticing offers showing up regarding that destination. Most of these ads often sound too good to be true. And in almost all the cases, they are.  Read more: 10 Most Affordable Destinations in Indonesia: Winter retreats on a budget As a precautionary measure, always double-check the offer on the website. Check for website authority to ensure that the displayed offers are indeed legit.  Double Check on the Payment  There are two warning signs of scams when it comes to payment – lack of encryption and guiding users to a different landing page. A legit travel booking site will have the necessary SSL encryption which shows up as a keypad lock right after the https in the address bar. Scam websites don’t have those. Some scammers have legit-looking websites for information and pricing but would take the users to a different domain for payment. Users should be wary of those sites as well.  Read more: 10 Overseas Places Bangladeshis Can Visit Under BDT 10,000

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday stressed the need for ensuring that seekers of jobs abroad must not fall prey to the frauds and middlemen. “So we always have to consider that these people could go abroad through proper channel and get appropriate job. It is very important for us to ensure that these people must not fall prey to fraudulent people and middlemen,” she said. The prime minister was delivering her introductory speech at the second meeting of the Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Affairs National Steering Committee at her official residence Ganabhaban. She asked the authorities concerned to find new destinations for sending manpower alongside making them skilled through giving appropriate training on different trades. “We have manpower in different countries, but we have to find more destinations,” said the PM. Hasina said that the government has started sending manpower to some new places. “But, we have to send skilled manpower. We have taken initiatives to provide training,” she said. She asked the authorities concerned to figure out which country needs what kinds of skilled manpower. “We will provide training to them.” Read More: 11 Bangladeshi auto mechanics get jobs in Japan The PM mentioned that sometimes it is seen that people are selling their houses and lands to pay the unscrupulous middlemen and fraudulent persons for a job abroad. She put emphasis on creating public awareness against going abroad for jobs through middlemen. During the heavy pressure on the economy forcoronavirus pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, the income of the expatriates contributed a lot in the country's reserve and overall development, said the prime minister. She said the Awami League government has established Expatriates’ Welfare Bank to provide loans to the overseas jobseekers. Hasina also praised the freelancers of the country for earning foreign exchange. “Our freelancers are also earning foreign currencies. We have given them certificates after bringing them under registration process.” She also requested the expatriates to send their money through legal channels. “We have given special stimulus of 2.5 percent for sending money through legal channel.” The prime minister asked the authorities concerned to take necessary measures so that dreams of the expatriate Bangladeshis do not turn into nightmare due to misuse of their hard earned money sent through illegal channels. Read More: Job Circular: 9th Grade Jobs in Ministry of Defence She directed the authorities of the Probashi Kallyan Bank to introduce agent banking in working places of the expatriate Bangladeshis to reach the legal money sending services at their doorsteps. “Necessary steps have been taken to ease process of sending money from abroad through legal and banking channels.” She said that many of the expatriate workers send money through illegal channels and fraud brokers which ultimately make them losers. She said that at present there are sufficient employment opportunities in the country and people are earning more. She mentioned that a day labourer who used to earn Tk 200-300 per day in the past, now can earn Tk 600-1000 per day depending on the nature of work. The minimum earning is Tk 500-600. Earning in the rural areas is higher than this amount, she said adding that during the paddy harvesting season the amount is Tk 700-800 with three meals a day. Read More: RMG giant Pacific to invest big in CEPZ, creating 5000 jobs “The rural economy has improved a lot. If anyone goes to rural areas it will be seen that the standard of living in the rural areas has improved a lot,” Sometimes scarcity of labour is also seen as people are becoming solvent, she added. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Planning Minister MA Mannan, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Empowerment Imran Ahmed were present among others.

Police arrested a gang of six frauds in Savar Sunday for trying to occupy a building introducing themselves as prime minister’s personal officers. According to police, the group led by Rakiul Islam on Saturday night went to occupy Monju Ara Begum’s nine-storey building in Tiabari area by hanging a signboard in front of it.  They said they were personal assistants and assignment officers of the prime minister. Also read: 3 arrested for forging Covid certificates in Rajshahi Suspecting their identity Monju Ara informed the model police station but the frauds fled before the police came. Monju Ara filed a case against the six with Savar model police station the same night. Following which, police arrested the members of the cheating group from Vatara and other areas of Dhaka. Also read: Rab arrests fake scientist for fraud on innocent people During the arrest police seized fake documents, signboard, mobile, ATM card and other instruments they used for their missions. Officer-in-Charge of Savar model police station, Kaji Mainul Islam said, investigation is going on to find if anyone else is involved with the group.