Faux-dors.
A company posing as Fodor’s Travel has been scamming people since at least June 2023. Fodor’s recently learned about the scam after multiple people contacted the travel publisher inquiring about refunds or missing commissions.
The faux Fodor’s has messaged potential victims, often through platforms like WhatsApp, offering lucrative part-time jobs. However, after signing up, they’re prompted to send money via cryptocurrency or through a wire transfer.
How the Scam Works
Fodor’s has reviewed several messages sent by the alleged scammers, detailing the operation.
People are contacted via WhatsApp, or other messaging platforms, by someone claiming to work for Fodor’s Travel. They’re promised a part-time job as an online travel assistant to work on “a platform named fodors travel, which was created to help improve the performance of journey [sic] and give more choices to more customers.”
The message continues, “All we need to do is to help these journey [sic] increase their popularity through the tourism platform, and when these figures improve, occupancy rates will increase accordingly.”
Those contacted have been promised 150 to 300 euros in compensation per day, and told that it will only take two to three hours per day to complete the tasks.
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“Once the work has been done,” the messages say, “you can withdraw all commissions directly from the platform and will receive them on the same day.”
They then provide an invitation to a platform found at various URLs, including fodors-travel.com, fadors-travel.com, and fadors.agency, along with an invitation code. The only site that Fodor’s uses is fodors.com.
Once signing up, users are instructed to add money into their account. They are not allowed to withdraw the money until they complete 40 reviews. However, in order to get to 40 reviews, they must continue to “recharge” their account by adding more of their own money. One person lost 2,500 euros to this scheme.
Another, a single mother who asked to remain anonymous, contacted the fake company after losing £500. Someone going by the name “Billy,” claiming to be a manager at Fodor’s, responded to her by saying, “Since you are over 18 years old, you already have the ability to think like an adult. You should know the platform rule that you can’t withdraw without completing 40 journeys, right?”
She asked to speak to a supervisor, and Billy replied, “Do you know what a manager means? Why do you think I still have superiors?” He posted a laughing emoji. Billy then threatened legal action against her if she attempted to get her money back.
What to Do if You’ve Been Contacted
Fodor’s only offers commissions to writers for guidebooks and digital content at Fodors.com. Writers are contacted about potential assignments via a fodors.com email account or through the verified Fodor’s Instagram account. Fodor’s NEVER asks its writers to send money or pay its writers in crypto.
If you believe that you’ve been contacted by the fake Fodor’s Travel, email [email protected], or send a DM via Instagram. Do not send any money whatsoever, and if you’ve already done so, contact your bank immediately and let them know.
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