Question 1

What is the "Fake Online Activity Booking Site" scam in Kona?

Accepted Answer

Fraudulent websites mimicking legitimate Kona tour operators — manta ray dives, snorkel charters, whale watching, and sport fishing — have been flagged by the Better Business Bureau and Hawaii's Office of Consumer Protection. These sites take payment, send realistic confirmation emails, and then become unreachable when customers arrive in Kona. The cloned sites often rank in Google search results above the real operator due to paid placement or SEO manipulation, and are frequently built around popular Kona search terms. Book activity tours through operators with verifiable physical addresses in Kailua-Kona, confirmed phone numbers that answer calls, and independently verified reviews on TripAdvisor or Google. Cross-reference the operator name with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs business registry at businesscheck.ehawaii.gov before paying.

Question 2

What is the "Vacation Rental "Free Night" Sweepstakes Scam" scam in Kona?

Accepted Answer

Visitors to Kona are targeted via social media ads and email campaigns claiming they have won a free vacation package or resort stay on the Big Island. Recipients are directed to call a number or visit a website to claim their prize, then told they must pay "taxes," "resort fees," or "activation fees" of $100–500 to redeem — classic advance-fee fraud. The scams frequently impersonate real Kohala Coast resorts such as the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel or Fairmont Orchid to appear credible. Legitimate resort sweepstakes never require upfront payment of fees to claim a prize. Contact the named resort directly using phone numbers from their official website — not from the prize notification — to verify any winning claim. Report suspicious offers to Hawaii's Office of Consumer Protection at (808) 586-2630.

Online Scams in Kona

Fake Online Activity Booking Site

Vacation Rental "Free Night" Sweepstakes Scam

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