20 Sept 2026 · 4 min read
Five checks before you pay a tour company
Fake pages look very real. Here's what to check every time before you send a deposit.
Every year brings news of 'ghost tours': scammers copy a real company's photos and name, then sell trips below market price. These five checks take under ten minutes.
1. The licence number matches the company
Search the tour-business licence number on the Department of Tourism website — company name and address must match.
2. The account is in the company's name
Real tour companies take payment into a company account. If asked to pay a person, stop and call first.
3. Call the number on the website
Don't use a number sent in chat — call the one on the official website or Google Maps and ask if the person is really staff.
4. Prices that are too good
If it's far cheaper than everyone else, ask for the airline, flight numbers and hotel names — a real company answers at once.
5. A written confirmation
After the deposit you should receive a confirmation with names, date, price and cancellation terms.
