Urgent: Possible Scam While Booking A-Frame Hotel in Bishkek

Hi everyone,

I’m in a tough situation and could really use some advice. I was trying to book a well-known A-frame hotel in Bishkek through an agent I found on Instagram. We started communicating on WhatsApp after that.

They first asked me to pay half the amount, which I did. Then they requested the full amount, which I also paid. Afterward, they asked for a large deposit, which made me suspicious. I decided to cancel the booking and requested a refund. They said they would “try” to refund me, but it’s been two days, and still nothing.

To make matters worse, the Instagram account I contacted has been deleted, and any booking links they previously sent me never work. I’m starting to fear I’ve been scammed.

Has anyone experienced something similar or knows what I can do in this situation? Are there any official tourism or consumer protection authorities I can reach out to in Kyrgyzstan?

I’d really appreciate any help or advice. Thank you!