Residents of Novosibirsk have fallen victim to a scam involving deeply discounted vacation packages to hotels in the Novosibirsk region and the Altai Republic. An individual, Ekaterina Borkina, offered these deals, promising discounts of up to 50% at popular resorts like Khvoya Park Hotel and Manzherok.

The scheme involved Borkina, who is not officially affiliated with the recreation centers, offering accommodation at significantly reduced prices. While some victims initially managed to book and enjoy their vacations through her, the scheme eventually collapsed. Borkina reportedly told clients that the hotels themselves were canceling the reservations.

Victims report transferring substantial sums of money for family vacations, only to face cancellations and difficulties in obtaining refunds. Adding to the complexity, refunds were often issued from different accounts, belonging to other victims who had also paid Borkina for trips. This revealed a Ponzi-like scheme, where money from new clients was used to pay off earlier ones.

The police are currently investigating the case, with estimated damages running into several million rubles. The affected hotels are also raising awareness and warning customers against falling for similar discount offers from individuals. They emphasize that they do not work with intermediaries and urge customers to book directly through official channels.

Hotels like Khvoya Park Hotel confirmed that Borkina had booked accommodations using fraudulent payment receipts. When the actual payments failed to materialize, the hotel filed a police report. Other hotels, such as Parus sanatorium in Kudryashi and Polyana Verde, have also reported instances of customers being deceived by similar schemes. They advise customers to verify any promotional offers on their official websites and to book directly through their official channels.