People are being warned not to get swayed by promises of easy money by writing reviews for Booking.com as the website does not recruit individuals through social media or messaging platforms to write reviews or pay commissions.
The Consumer Council of Fiji says a Fijian job seeker recently received a WhatsApp message promising easy money and excited by the opportunity, they followed the instructions, completed a few small tasks, and even received initial payments, which gave the impression that the scheme was legitimate.
They say however, when asked to deposit their own money to access higher commissions, communication suddenly stopped, and the person was blocked from the group, leaving them out of pocket with no way to recover their funds.
The Council says this scenario is part of a growing recruitment scam circulating widely on social media and messaging platforms, falsely offering paid online review jobs for Booking.com.
They say victims are contacted via WhatsApp, Telegram, facebook messenger, or email with promises of earning commissions for writing reviews or “boosting” hotel listings.
The Council says the scammers often pose as Booking.com representatives or as third-party recruitment agencies allegedly affiliated with the company, giving an impression of legitimacy.
They say once individuals agree to participate, they are typically added to a chat group where small “tasks” are assigned.
Initial payments may be made to build trust, but soon after, participants are asked to deposit their own money into fake “work accounts” or “task wallets” to unlock higher commissions.
They say after this, scammers stop responding, block victims, or close the group entirely, leaving participants with financial losses and no means of recovery.
The Council stresses that genuine reviews on the platform can only be submitted by verified customers who have completed stays through official bookings.
Council CEO Seema Shandil warns that these scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
She says these schemes are designed to exploit people’s trust and the desire for quick income.
They are urging the public to remain vigilant, verify all offers, and never provide money, personal information, or banking details to unverified contacts or links.
Questions have been sent to the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission.
