ABTA (The Association of British Travel Agents), the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Get Safe Online are warning travelers to Turkey to
only obtain e-visas from the official Republic of Turkey website. The warning
is being issued after up to a hundred UK holidaymakers purchased fake e-visas
which were only discovered on arrival in Turkey at which point authentic visas
had to be repurchased at the airport.
Currently travelers to Turkey
have the option to purchase a visa on arrival, though at a higher cost than
online. However, this service is due to be phased out which could leave travelers who had purchased a fake visa unable to enter the country.
Nikki White, ABTA’s Head of
Destinations and Sustainability said: “Fraudulent websites targeting visa
applications and other tourism services, such as passport renewals and EHIC
cards, are a problem in the industry and we would always recommend going
directly to the relevant official government website. The problem of fraudulent
e-visas to Turkey is particularly concerning as many of these sites look bona
fide. If you are unsure, check with your ABTA travel company or visit the FCO’s
travel advice online to obtain the official website address.”
Stephen
Sharp, Communications Director, Get Safe Online said: “What’s confusing is that
there are illegal websites that offer fake e-visas, and then there are
misleading copycat sites that are causing travelers to unnecessarily pay over
the odds. People must be extra vigilant to both and, instead of relying on
search engines, always go direct to the official e-visa site. Also, do your
research to check if there are reviews about the site online. Small checks like
this will ensure your travels get off to a good start.”
You can read more here..
(c) travelandtourworld.com
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