Online Scams in Kauai, USA
Fraudulent booking sites, phishing, fake reviews, and digital cons targeting travelers. Below are the online scams scams reported in Kauai — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like New York, Tijuana, and Cozumel.
Last updated: April 9, 2026
2
Online Scams Scams
10
Total in Kauai
How it works
Kauai helicopter tours over the Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon are among the island's most-booked experiences, retailing for $250–350 per person through legitimate operators like Blue Hawaiian, Safari Helicopters, and Jack Harter Helicopters. Fraudulent websites mimic these operators' branding — using similar domain names, copied photos, and fake review counts — and accept full payment before disappearing. In some cases, aggregator sites like HawaiiTours.com book passengers without disclosing which helicopter company will actually operate the flight, leaving travelers with no recourse if the operator is substandard or the booking is invalid.
How it works
Fraudulent activity sellers on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace advertise Kauai excursions — kayak tours of the Wailua River, ATV tours through Waimea Canyon, zip-line packages — at significant discounts, collecting a deposit via Venmo or Zelle before the tour date. On the scheduled day, the "operator" fails to appear at the agreed meeting point (often the Wailua Marina parking area or the Waimea Canyon Drive trailhead) and becomes unreachable. The listings frequently impersonate legitimate operators like Kayak Wailua or Kauai ATV.
See all scams in Kauai
10 total warnings across all categories