Travel company disappears with customers’ money

A travel company in Ho Chi Minh City disappeared with all the customers’ money.
People can't book tour in the company's website

People can't book tour in the company's website

A leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Printing Association yesterday moaned that 64 employees in the association had given VND1.25 billion (US$50,731) to the European Union Tourism Company, whose English name is EUtourist, for their upcoming tour but the travel company disappeared now.

Accordingly, a few weeks ago, 64 people from the Ho Chi Minh City Printing Association decided to book a package tour to visit the All in Print China 2023 Exhibition Fair - a professional international exhibition of printing technology and equipment in China’s Shanghai from October 31.

According to Deputy Head of the association Nguyen Thai Linh, when people checked their personal documents on October 30, they discovered that the leader of the travel company fled. After thinking of different plans, people had no choice but to cancel the tour.

EUtourist in Hoa Phuong Street in Phu Nhuan District was granted a business registration license by the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City in mid-July 2022, The company's director and owner is Mr. Ho Ngoc Tin, 30 years old, permanently residing in Hanoi's Hoang Mai District while the company’s address is at 5 Cuu Long Street in Tan Binh District on its website.

No one work in the company and the company's door is locked

No one work in the company and the company's door is locked

However, the above addresses were actually all incorrect. Specifically, at No. 2 Hoa Phuong is currently the headquarters of Viet Luat Investment Promotion Consulting Company. According to a receptionist of the building at No. 2 Hoa Phuong, this is a "virtual office", providing a building address for businesses that need to rent an address as a place of transaction.

Worse, nobody can contact the company director Ho Ngoc Tin through his telephone number 0977796665.

In a meeting with reporters, Chief Inspector of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism Nguyen Minh Ly said that the Department received the information on the case and the probe is being carried out according to legal regulations.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, supposed that it may be a fraud and property appropriation recommending people and businesses must carefully research information about travel businesses and their operating history before booking tours.

Previously, SGGP newspaper published an article about TST Tourist Travel Company's complaint that EUtourist Company copied its brand identity as well as website interface, making customers think that EUtourist Company is a subsidiary of TST Tourist.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications - Marketing at TST Tourist said that the company won the title of the most favorite Vietnamese brand specialized in tours to Europe award organized by SGGP Newspaper. Any acts of intentionally copying brand and causing confusion for consumers are unacceptable. He emphasized that TST Tourist Company will keep its eye on the case.

Currently, the authorities are investigating and clarifying the case.

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