Deceived tourists boarded the bus. This photo was taken by our intern reporter, Yang Tianxiao.
A counterfeit travel agency impersonated two legitimate ones, gathering customers through online calls or group tours. Whether it was signing agreements or leading tours, this fake travel agency did everything flawlessly. Even after a traffic accident involving tourists, they couldn't be found. After several days of investigation and undercover visits, the reporter finally uncovered the inside story. When the reporter visited yesterday, he was refused entry.
■ Impersonating Operations
"Li Gui" (a metaphor for an imposter) was exposed
On July 14, during a trip led by this counterfeit travel agency, a tourist bus overturned on the Jing Shen Expressway, resulting in three deaths and over ten injuries, including a 10-year-old boy.
On the evening of July 22, multiple injured tourists from the accident provided the reporter with the agreement signed before their departure on the morning of July 14. The seal on the agreement read "Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency."
The content of the agreement included agreed payment amounts, free tourism items, and optional items. Below, the address of the travel agency was noted as: No. 19 Zhaozhuizi Hutong, Xuanwu District. The complaint phone number was noted as 571672×；×. Notably, there was no contact information left for the tour guide on this agreement.
Subsequently, the reporter logged onto the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce website to query, finding that the registered address of "Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency" is at No. 88 Guangqumen Street, Chongwen District, New Yu Home, established in 2003, belonging to a regular shareholding cooperative enterprise.
On July 23, the reporter learned from the Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency registered with the Administration for Industry and Commerce that on July 14, this legitimate travel agency did not organize tourists to board buses near Taoranting Park for tourism, and the company had never been registered or operated at No. 19 Zhaozhuizi Hutong, Xuanwu District. The travel agency organizing the trip on July 14 was a counterfeit. The party who signed the agreement with the injured victims in the accident was a "Li Gui" impersonating a legitimate travel agency.
Feet in Two Boats
On July 23, the reporter came to No. 19 Zhaozhuizi Hutong, Xuanwu District, which is a standard small quadrangle courtyard, housing five or six tenant families, but there were no companies operating here.
The reporter learned from nearby residents that indeed, a travel agency named "Beijing Jinn Long Travel Agency Co., Ltd." had operated here two or three years ago, but this travel agency had already moved.
The reporter subsequently logged onto the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce website and found that Beijing Jinn Long Travel Agency Co., Ltd. is also a legitimate travel agency, established on April 24, 1997. Its registered address is exactly No. 19 Zhaozhuizi Hutong, Xuanwu District.
That is to say, the counterfeit travel agency not only misused the seal of "Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency," but also used the registered address of another legitimate travel agency, "Beijing Jinn Long Travel Agency Co., Ltd."
Residents within the hutong confirmed to the reporter that they had never heard of any institution named Universal Holiday Travel Agency operating within the hutong, but they had heard of people coming to this location to complain after being deceived while traveling.
■ Reporter's Undercover Investigation
Refusing Customer Visits
At 6 PM on July 23, the reporter called the complaint number 571672×；× on the agreement. A woman claimed to be from Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency. However, when the reporter asked if they had the necessary qualifications and whether they were registered with the Administration for Industry and Commerce, the woman said that Universal Holiday Travel Agency did not have the qualifications, they were a branch of Beijing Jinn Long Travel Agency, a legitimate travel agency, so one could rest assured.
After repeated inquiries by the reporter, the other party said that their office location was near Yangqiao, and the headquarters of Beijing Jinn Long Travel Agency was near Majiabao. When the reporter said he hoped to sign a contract at the office location, the other party said that they were currently renovating and it was inconvenient for visits.
This woman introduced that the price for a 2-day tour to Beidaihe was around 168 yuan from Monday to Friday, and around 268 yuan on Saturday and Sunday, including one night's accommodation and one lunch. For tourists within the fifth ring road, they could send a car to pick them up.
Tourists Board the Wrong Boat
On the evening of July 23, the reporter called 571672×；× again, saying he hoped to visit places near Beijing. The other party immediately recommended a 2-day tour to Beidaihe. The reporter then left his phone number, hoping they would send a car to pick him up.
At 4 AM on July 24, the reporter received a call notification. Downstairs in the neighborhood, a blue minivan was parked by the roadside, and a man gestured to the reporter. The driver indicated that they still had to pick up several more tourists.
This minivan then picked up another 6 tourists. During casual conversations, the reporter learned that others either found the travel agency's phone number by searching online for "trips to Beidaihe", or signed up with another travel agency but were arranged to go with "Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency". None of them had ever been to the travel agency's office location.
Undercover Investigator Being Watched
At around 6 AM on July 24, the reporter arrived at the roadside west of Taoranting subway station. At the time, there were already fifty or sixty tourists waiting. Seven tourist buses were parked by the roadside.
On July 23, a relevant person in charge of Beijing Bus Company's Tourist Division, which owns the overturned bus, confirmed to the reporter that they all cooperate with legitimate travel agencies. The involved vehicle was rented by a legitimate travel agency, but how it ended up with the counterfeit travel agency remains unknown.
Beside the bus, two women were shouting at tourists to pay and sign agreements. The agreement was identical to the one provided by the injured victims. After paying and signing the agreement, tourists boarded the bus directly, and once full, the bus departed.
A man said that the earliest departure time was 6:10 AM, and the last one’s departure time was uncertain. For the Beidaihe 2-day tours they organized, they could dispatch 10 buses daily, approximately 500 people. When the reporter tried to ask more questions, four or five burly men surrounded the reporter and said, "What are you doing? Why are you asking so many questions?" and drove the reporter away. The reporter noticed that when all tourists arrived, these men were looking around alertly.
Visiting Leads to Rejection
Through extensive inquiries, the reporter learned that the office location of the counterfeit travel agency was in a residential building at No. 92, Majiabao East Road. On July 24, the reporter went to the office location of this counterfeit travel agency, which was an ordinary residence, with the room number erased.
Through the peephole, the reporter saw that the room was spacious, with about 10 fixed-line telephones, and five or six men and women were laughing and chatting. Subsequently, the reporter dialed 571672×；×, and the telephone rang inside the room. But when the reporter knocked on the door, the entire room immediately became silent, and this phone immediately showed as off. Then, someone closed the peephole on the security door.
Yesterday, the reporter returned to No. 92, Majiabao East Road, but still no one paid attention. Neighborhood residents said that they only knew it was a travel agency, "I heard it's called Jinlong or maybe Universal Holiday," and the people inside always communicated via phone. Strangers knocking on the door "almost never get answers."
Yesterday, after dialing 571672×；×, the reporter identified himself and proposed to interview regarding the July 14th accident, but the other party hung up without answering.
■ Official Response
Easy to Punish, Hard to Find
On July 23, the reporter contacted relevant departments of the Beijing Municipal Tourism Bureau. Staff members of the Tourism Law Enforcement Team of the Beijing Municipal Tourism Bureau told the reporter that currently, there are indeed many illegal travel agencies in Beijing. Regulating these travel agencies is very difficult, as many illegal travel agencies hide in residential buildings, "We can't go and arrest them, we can only impose penalties according to the newly promulgated 'Travel Agency Regulations' by the state, but the problem is that we cannot find the illegal travel agencies."
Staff members of the Quality Supervision and Management Office of the Beijing Municipal Tourism Bureau's Travel Agency Department stated that citizens should recognize the qualifications of travel agencies when choosing one, and avoid falling into the traps set by illegal travel agencies.
■ Industry Insider
Fully Cooperate in Anti-counterfeiting Efforts
Relevant persons in charge of Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency said that under normal circumstances, the company mainly operates group tours for companies or collectives, does not do individual group tours, and signs formal travel contracts before every trip. Contracts are signed either by the responsible person of the other party's company coming to the agency or by the agency sending staff to the other party's unit.
The person in charge also mentioned that contracts all use the unified contract text of the Tourism Bureau. The content includes the specific names of both parties' units, personnel, tourists' health conditions, specific travel dates, routes, and related tourism contents, etc. The seal used by the company only bears the words "Beijing Universal Holiday Travel Agency." The company has also received customer complaints, "Each time it is after customer complaints that we cooperate with the Tourism Bureau for investigations, catching one or two each time, but soon new counterfeits appear."
The person in charge also expressed that the credibility of a travel company is very important, and the counterfeit travel agency has brought significant negative impacts to the company. They hope relevant departments will strengthen supervision. If assistance from the travel agency is needed for investigations, they will fully cooperate.
■ Lawyer's Opinion
Impersonation of Guests Suspected of Fraud
Lawyer Ma Chuanzheng from Jinghua Law Firm stated that according to the agreement provided by the injured victims, although it clearly stated that insurance was included, it did not provide the victims with a formal insurance policy, so the victims could not receive compensation from the insurance company. The "counterfeit" travel agency organizing the trip must bear direct responsibility to the customers.
If it is a company, the company and its legal representative will be responsible; if it is a gang composed of several people without registration, the organizers will jointly bear responsibility and individually bear unlimited joint liability.
Currently, the behavior of this counterfeit travel agency has already suspected of fraud. If the victims cannot directly find the people of the travel agency, they can report the case to the police and request the public security department to intervene in the investigation and handling.
All reports written by our reporter Peng Kefeng and Su Wei.