Dude,wheres My (Fake)Costa-Luz Resort?

[Call me bubba]

seems that a traveler fell for an online scam of a "purported" resort in Suyo Sagada

 

i just hope that the Tourism authorities will investigate this. so that other travelers will not fall for this or any other "fake"resort scam

 

  Now for the story

 

SAGADA, MT. PROVINCE --

Websites luring tourists to a supposed Costa Luz Resort in Suyo, Sagada continues to victimize tourists.

Australian tourist Paul Anthony Kazla from the City of Adelaide

informed the Philippine National Police here September 6 that he was scammed of Australian $111.36 by his travel agency,

Flight Global Network, which booked him for a three day stay in "Costa Luz Resort" in Sagada.

Police here said Kazla is the first tourist to complain at the police station

although it was known some visitors had been looking for the same "resort" early this year and not able to find one. This was heightened by warnings posted in Facebook August this year.

 

Costa Luz Resort does not exist in Sagada.

 

Responding to online advertisements a certain Costa Luz Resort is located in this municipality, the Municipal Council passed a resolution clarifying the resort does not exist in any part of the town and forwarded the resolution to the National Bureau of Investigation and Internet Crimes Complaint Center for their immediate action.

 

The August 20 resolution was also forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for their appropriate action and to the Department of Tourism.

It was noted pictures resembling Grand Zion Resort in Tabuk, Kalinga

were the same pictures posted in the fake Costa Luz resort promoted and identified to be located in Suyo, Sagada showing lowland setting complete with palm trees and a splendid swimming pool.

 

The advertisement was plastered in websites venere.com, hotels.com and zoover.com with corresponding hotel rates to entice tourists and defraud them of their money.

Sagada is a prime tourist destination north of the Philippines

blessed with natural tourist attractions including the famous Bumod-ok Falls of northern Sagada and the Sumaguing cave in southern Sagada in the Cordillera region.

 

The tourist town registers some 30,000 tourists a year

both domestic and foreign visitors from different parts of the world apart from other local visitors who conduct their seminars and conferences here. (Gina Dizon)

 

 

 

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2013/09/20/costa-luz-resort-dupes-another-australian-tourist-304356

[Dave Hounddriver]

Helluva scam!  Its $36 a night through Lonely Planet (googled it)

 

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines/north-luzon/sagada/hotels/costa-luz-resort-club

[Genius]

enterprising, huh

[Call me bubba]

Helluva scam!  Its $36 a night through Lonely Planet (googled it)

 

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines/north-luzon/sagada/hotels/costa-luz-resort-club

Seems now they have no available rooms . guess they are BOOKED?

[Lou49]

I was in Sagada last year. I took the bus and showed up there without reservations and was able to find accommodations without any problems. It is a truly beautiful place. I was very very surprised that the locals spoke better English than anywhere else I had been in the PI. Maybe I just got lucky. Sagada is one of maybe 3 places in the PI that I could live full time. No nightlife there but clean and cool and quiet and peaceful and beautiful.

[earthdome]

I have heard people refer to Sagada as the way Baguio used to be many decades ago.