Avoid snowmountainholiday.com – This is a Travel Scam
snowmountainholiday.com presents itself as a travel agency, but in reality it appears to be running a well-planned scam under the guise of travel bookings. Here is exactly how their scheme works based on my experience. 1. They obtain your contact details If you enquire about a holiday through travel aggregators or websites, somehow they get your email ID and phone number and reach out to you. 2. They send a very polished itinerary They will send a detailed travel itinerary that clearly looks AI-generated (likely from ChatGPT). The language is polished and it covers everything, so at first it looks impressive and professional. 3. The price looks attractive Their quote is usually slightly cheaper than other travel agencies, which naturally makes you more interested. The quote will include a line saying “GST extra”, but they conveniently do not mention the percentage. 4. They initially appear responsive They respond to your questions and even make itinerary changes to gain your trust. 5. They ask for a 50% advance payment They insist you pay 50% upfront so they can start bookings. They claim you can pay the rest after everything is confirmed. 6. Once you pay, communication slows down After you transfer the 50%, suddenly responses become slow or vague. 7. They make a minimal booking to appear legitimate They will book one cheap hotel (often through platforms like MakeMyTrip) and send you the confirmation so it looks like work is happening. 8. Then comes the hidden GST trap When you ask about the rest of the bookings (hotels, taxis, etc.), they suddenly demand 18% GST on the total package. This is extremely suspicious. Legitimate holiday packages in India typically charge around 5% GST, including platforms like MakeMyTrip. 9. They become aggressive if you question them If you argue that this was not disclosed earlier, their tone changes quickly. They will claim no further bookings will be done unless you pay, and they will also say the 50% already paid is non-refundable. 10. At this point you are trapped You either pay the extra money or lose the large advance you already paid. 11. My advice: cut your losses From my experience, the safest option at this stage is to accept the loss and walk away. Paying more only increases your losses. Losing 50% is painful, but paying the rest may make things worse. 12. If you pay the full amount Even after full payment, the experience continues to be frustrating. 13. Taxi bookings become another excuse for more money You will repeatedly follow up for taxi details. After many calls, they may demand additional payment for taxis. 14. They promise refunds they never give If you decline the taxi service, they will email saying they will refund a small amount. In reality, the refund never comes. 15. Endless calls, no refunds You can call them for months, but the refund will never arrive. Some people even report being threatened when they keep asking for their money back. Final advice Think carefully before booking with them. Ask yourself if you want to go through this kind of stress and financial loss before a vacation. You may notice a few positive reviews here, but they look highly suspicious. They are very likely written by their own employees or the people running this operation. Read the negative reviews carefully — they all follow the same pattern. Do yourself a favor and stay away from snowmountainholiday.com.