It’s concerning to hear that dishonest people and online travel companies are misusing Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ brand- their name, logo, and even staff information- to trick customers and steal their money.
According to recent statement to the press, these scam groups are reaching out to people via different phone numbers, pretending to be employees of Biman. They often start by giving the targeted individuals a genuine-looking reference (PNR) to build trust before asking for payment.
Once they receive the money, these fraudsters will either cancel the booking reference they initially provided, or of a real ticket was never actually issue, the booking will simply expire and be automatically cancelled after some time.
The press statement also points out that many people don’t realize that a booking reference, or PNR, is different from an actual ticket. While a PNR confirms a seat reservation, it doesn’t mean a ticket has been issued. You need a valid ticket to be sure your travel is confirmed.
Without a ticket being issued after a booking reference is created, the reservation can be cancelled without notice, which means the passenger won’t be allowed to board the plane.
Biman is advising customers to double-check any booking references they receive from agents before paying. They can do this by getting in touch with their closest Biman sales office or by calling the airline’s hotline at 13636.
The press release also reveals that the scammers have been using the mobile phone numbers 01749881978 and 01322878863, as well as bank accounts at Islami Bnak (account number 20503100201880211) and First Security Islami Bank (account number 013914300000215), to defraud people out of significant amounts of money.
The airline has also requested customers to immediately inform Biman if they receive any suspicious calls or offers.
To protect themselves from these scams, Biman strongly recommends that passengers only buy their tickets directly from Biman’s official sales locations, their website, and their call center, or from travel agencies that are authorized by IATA.
Individual who have unfortunately become victims of these fraudulent activities are encouraged to report the matter to their local police station without delay.
