Reporting Fake Ticketing Agents and Travel-Scam Sellers in the Philippines

(A practical legal guide for consumers, law enforcers, and platform operators)

Scope. This article covers Filipino laws and procedures relevant to fake “ticketing” agents and related travel scams—whether the “agent” sells airline, ferry, bus, tour or event tickets via Facebook, TikTok, Messenger/Viber/WhatsApp, e-commerce marketplaces, or physical stalls/kiosks.

Disclaimer. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and thresholds change; for a live case, consult a Philippine lawyer or the concerned agency.

1) What counts as a “fake ticketing” scam?

Common patterns:

Phantom tickets: You pay, but no booking is created; the “ticket” or screenshot is fabricated.
Unauthorized reseller: A real booking exists at first, then the seller cancels it (after you pay) or books with stolen cards so the airline voids the ticket later.
Bait-and-switch: The agent advertises a low fare, then demands “re-issuance,” “rebooking,” “name correction,” or “insurance” fees to release any ticket.
Clone pages and impostors: Social accounts or storefronts impersonate airlines or legit agencies using look-alike names and logos.
Receipt-only schemes: You receive a “proof of payment/itinerary receipt” that isn’t tied to a carrier’s PNR (or uses a recycled/altered PNR).

Red flags

Only GCash/Maya/personal bank account, “send screenshot and wait.”
Refuses video call or proof of DOT accreditation or business registration.
Urges “book now—limited slots—admin cut-off in 5 minutes.”
Won’t issue a verifiable airline record locator/PNR or refuses you to confirm directly with the carrier.
Uses newly created social pages with stock photos and disabled comments.

2) Key laws you can invoke

Revised Penal Code (RPC) – Estafa/Swindling (Art. 315) for deceit (taking your money by false pretenses); penalties increase with the amount defrauded (as updated by R.A. 10951). Other possible RPC offenses: Falsification (Arts. 172–173) when fabricating tickets/receipts.
R.A. 7394 – Consumer Act of the Philippines – Outlaws deceptive, unfair, or unconscionable sales acts; DTI may investigate, mediate, and impose administrative sanctions.
R.A. 11967 – Internet Transactions Act (ITA) of 2023 – Gives the DTI (E-Commerce Bureau) stronger powers over online merchants and platforms, including notice-and-takedown, information requests, and administrative fines for online deception.
R.A. 10175 – Cybercrime Prevention Act – If the fraud uses ICT (social media, websites, messaging apps), computer-related fraud and computer-related forgery may apply; cybercrime units can use digital forensics.
R.A. 8792 – E-Commerce Act & Rules on Electronic Evidence (A.M. No. 01-7-01-SC) – E-documents, screenshots, logs, and metadata can be admissible if properly preserved and authenticated.
R.A. 11765 – Financial Consumer Protection Act (FCPA) – Banks and e-money issuers (e.g., GCash/Maya) must have complaint-resolution and redress mechanisms; BSP may sanction covered institutions that mishandle disputes.
R.A. 8484 – Access Devices Regulation Act – If scammers used stolen credit cards to issue “tickets,” there can be separate criminal liability.
R.A. 10173 – Data Privacy Act – Unauthorized use of your IDs or personal data (e.g., to “process” a ticket) may trigger privacy violations.
R.A. 11934 – SIM Registration Act – Numbers used for scam messaging can be reported for deactivation/blacklisting via the telcos/NTC.

Sector-specific regulators you may intersect with

DTI – Consumer protection (including online sales and platforms; ITA implementation).
Department of Tourism (DOT) – Accreditation of travel agencies/tour operators; you can check/complain about agencies misrepresenting accreditation.
Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) – Economic regulator for air carriage; handles airline consumer protection issues and can receive complaints tied to air transport (e.g., refund/denied boarding disputes connected to legitimate bookings).
PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) and NBI Cybercrime Division – For criminal investigations involving online activity.
BSP – Supervises banks/e-money issuers for dispute handling and fraud controls.
NTC – For scam SMS/voice/Viber numbers (blocking/deactivation).

3) Immediate steps if you suspect a scam

A) Preserve evidence (before confronting the seller)

Full-page captures of listings/pages (save as PDF), screenshots of chats (with timestamps), and the profile URL or handle.
Proof of payment: bank/e-wallet transfer ref no., deposit slips, email/SMS confirmations.
Any “ticket,” PNR, e-receipt, invoices, or ID photos they asked you to send.
Device and account logs: email headers, IP notes (if available), and call logs.
Witness statements if someone overheard calls or was present.

Tip: Keep originals; don’t edit images. Note the date/time captured. Under the Rules on Electronic Evidence, integrity and authenticity matter.

B) Check if there’s a real booking

If you got a PNR/record locator, verify directly with the airline or carrier (via official channels). If nothing exists—or it was voided—treat as fraud.

C) Lock down your money trails

Notify your bank/e-wallet immediately. Ask for a dispute/chargeback or recall where possible.
Under the FCPA, providers must document and respond to your complaint; get a case/reference number.
If you shared card details, block/replace the card. If you gave ID images, consider flagging with your bank and monitoring for identity misuse.

4) Where and how to report (Philippine channels)

You may file to several venues in parallel; they serve different functions.

4.1 Criminal complaint (for prosecution and to trigger investigation)

Police blotter at your local station or report to PNP-ACG; alternatively, go directly to the NBI Cybercrime Division.
Prepare:
- Affidavit-Complaint (facts chronologically), evidence list, and IDs.
- Identify offenses: Estafa (RPC), falsification, and/or cybercrime offenses (R.A. 10175).
- Specify the amount lost, accounts used by the scammer, and links/handles.
Request digital forensics/subpoenas to platforms for subscriber details and preservation of content.

4.2 Administrative/consumer complaint

DTI (Consumer Protection / E-Commerce Bureau)
- Grounds: Deceptive/unfair sales acts (Consumer Act) and online deception (ITA).
- Typical flow: intake → mediation/conciliation → adjudication (fines, cease-and-desist, orders against online sellers/platforms).
- Also use DTI to pressure platforms (notice-and-takedown; seller info disclosure under ITA).
DOT (Accreditation)
- If the entity claims to be an “accredited travel agency/tour operator” but is not, file a report; DOT can sanction misuse of accreditation and warn the public.
CAB
- If there’s a real booking dispute (refunds, rebooking, denied boarding) involving an airline or its official agent, lodge a complaint with CAB.
- Pure fraud (no real booking) remains primarily criminal/DTI.

4.3 Financial-sector complaint (for fund recovery and controls)

File with your bank/e-money issuer (GCash/Maya/bank) citing the FCPA.
If mishandled, escalate to BSP (consumer assistance).
Ask for transaction freeze/flagging on recipient accounts (providers may cooperate when promptly alerted).

4.4 Communications/reporting channels

NTC & Telcos – Report the SIM/number used; request blocking under SIM Registration rules.
Platforms/marketplaces – File fraud reports and takedown requests. Under the ITA, platforms must act on valid notices.

5) Building a strong case

Elements you want to show

Representation: What the seller claimed (screenshots, ads, voice notes).
Reliance: You paid because of those claims.
Loss: Exact amount, date/time, and payment route.
Deceit or falsification: Fabricated tickets/receipts, fake accreditation, impersonation.
Online angle (if any): pages, handles, IPs, device IDs.

Electronic evidence basics (quick primer)

Keep native files (e.g., .eml emails) and original media.
Note hashes/metadata if you can (or ask investigators).
Authenticate: Affiant explains how screenshots were taken and from what device/account (per Rules on Electronic Evidence).
Request agencies to issue preservation letters to platforms so content isn’t deleted.

6) Civil remedies (getting your money back)

Demand letter to the seller (and any identified principals) rescinding for fraud and demanding full refund + damages.
Small Claims: For purely money claims up to the Supreme Court’s current threshold (historically ₱1,000,000 exclusive of interest/fees; confirm the latest figure). Lawyers generally aren’t required; decisions are final and unappealable.
Regular civil action: For higher amounts or if you seek moral/exemplary damages and attorney’s fees.
Prejudicial questions: Civil and criminal cases may proceed independently; filing the criminal case does not bar you from suing for damages.

7) Vetting a ticketing seller before you pay

Ask for:
- Business registration (DTI Business Name for sole proprietor; SEC registration for corp/partnership), Mayor’s/Business permit, BIR COR.
- DOT accreditation (for travel agencies/tour operators).
- IATA accreditation code or proof they’re an authorized agent of the airline.
- Official receipt (BIR-registered) and verifiable PNR (you confirm with the carrier before sending balance, if possible).
Pay safer: Use credit card or protected channels that allow disputes/chargebacks. Be wary of “send to personal GCash” with urgency pressure.

8) Decision map — who to contact

No real ticket / fabricated documents? → PNP-ACG/NBI (criminal), DTI (deception), Platform (takedown), Bank/e-wallet (recall/dispute).
There is a legitimate booking but refund/conditions are abusive? → Start with airline/official agent; if unresolved, CAB; in parallel DTI for unfair sales acts.
Agency falsely claims DOT accreditation? → DOT (for misuse) + DTI (deceptive act) + potential criminal complaint for fraud.
Scam via SMS/calls? → NTC/telco (SIM blocking) + PNP/NBI + DTI if a sale occurred online.

9) Templates you can reuse

9.1 Affidavit-Complaint (criminal) — outline

AFFIDAVIT-COMPLAINT

I, [Name], Filipino, of legal age, [address], state:

1. On [date/time], I saw [link/handle/page] advertising [ticket/route/date] at [price].
2. [Seller name/alias] claimed [statements]. Screenshots Annex “A”.
3. I paid [amount] via [bank/e-wallet], Ref. No. [____]. Proof Annex “B”.
4. I was sent [ticket/PNR/receipt]. Annex “C”. On verification with [carrier] on [date], booking was [non-existent/voided]. Proof Annex “D”.
5. I demanded refund on [date]; they [ignored/refused/blocked me]. Annex “E”.
6. I suffered loss of ₱[amount] and missed travel [if applicable].

I charge [Name/alias/unknown operators] with:
- Estafa (Art. 315, RPC), and 
- [Computer-Related Fraud/Forger y under R.A. 10175], and other violations as may be determined.

I attest to the truth of the foregoing.

[Signature over printed name]
[Date/Place]
Jurat/Notarization

9.2 DTI consumer complaint — outline

CONSUMER COMPLAINT

Complainant: [Name, Address, Contact]
Respondent: [Seller/Platform details, handles, links]

Facts: (timeline; attach Annexes A–E)
Relief sought:
  1) Full refund of ₱[amount] with interest;
  2) Administrative penalties for deceptive/unfair acts;
  3) Takedown/orders for disclosure of seller information under the ITA.

Signature / Date

9.3 Demand letter (civil)

RE: DEMAND FOR REFUND AND DAMAGES – FAKE TICKET SALE

Dear [Name/Agency],

On [date], you represented that you could lawfully sell [ticket details]. Relying on your representations, I paid ₱[amount], evidenced by [proof]. The ticket/PNR was [non-existent/voided].

This constitutes fraud, deceptive trade practices, and breach of obligation. Demand is made for:
(1) Full refund of ₱[amount] within 5 days of receipt; and 
(2) ₱[amount] for incidental losses [optional].

Absent compliance, I will file criminal, administrative, and civil actions without further notice.

Very truly yours,
[Name]

10) Practical FAQs

Q1: The airline says my PNR exists but was voided due to chargeback/fraudulent card—what now? A: That indicates unauthorized payment upstream. Your claim is against the seller (estafa, deceptive practice). File criminal and DTI complaints; pursue civil recovery.

Q2: Can platforms be liable? A: Under the Internet Transactions Act, platforms must act on valid notices and exercise due diligence. They can face administrative liability if they ignore credible reports, but your refund typically comes from the seller unless the platform gave a guarantee.

Q3: What if the seller is overseas? A: Still file with DTI/NBI/PNP-ACG. The ITA enables cross-border cooperation and orders against platforms hosting the seller. Civil recovery is harder, but platform and payment-rail actions (account blocking, takedown) can limit damage.

Q4: Will I recover funds through bank recall? A: Recalls are best-effort and depend on speed and remaining balance. File immediately and keep your ticket/incident numbers. The FCPA ensures you get a formal response pathway.

Q5: How long do I have to sue or file a case? A: Prescription depends on the offense/penalty and whether it’s a special law or the RPC. As a rule of thumb, don’t delay; act as soon as you discover the fraud.

11) Checklist (print this)

Save all chats, listings, numbers, and receipts.
Verify PNR with the carrier.
File bank/e-wallet dispute (get case no.).
Report to PNP-ACG/NBI (criminal) with affidavit/evidence.
File DTI complaint (Consumer Act + ITA) and platform takedown.
If fake DOT accreditation claimed, report to DOT.
If airline issues (for real bookings), escalate to CAB.
Consider demand letter and small claims/civil case.

12) For law enforcers and regulators (quick pointers)

Secure preservation orders/requests to platforms and payment providers quickly.
Trace recipient accounts (KYC data via BSP-regulated entities).
For repeat offender pages, coordinate DTI (ITA) → platform compliance; NTC for SIM blocks.
For physical kiosks, verify business permits, BIR receipts, DOT accreditation; seize falsified forms and devices with proper chain of custody.

Bottom line

Move fast, document everything, and multi-track your actions: criminal (PNP/NBI), administrative (DTI/DOT/CAB), financial (bank/e-wallet/BSP), and civil (refund/damages). Philippine law gives you several levers—use them together to stop the scam, take down the seller, and improve your odds of getting your money back.