Scam alert for Rural WONCA 2026 delegates

Scam alert for Rural WONCA 2026 delegates

We have been alerted to a travel booking scam targeting people planning to attend the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference (Rural WONCA 2026) in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand.

Scammers may use the public programme and abstract information to contact presenters and authors directly.

What to watch for

• Unsolicited emails offering to arrange flights, hotels, or transfers.
• Emails claiming to be from “Global Travel Experts” or “Global Travel Team”, including addresses such as booking @gtravelexpertise.com.
• Requests for personal details (passport information, phone numbers) or payment details.

What to do if you receive one

• Do not reply, and do not click links or open attachments.
• Block the sender and use your mail client’s phishing reporting option (Outlook: Report > Phishing, Gmail: Report phishing).
• If you are unsure, verify directly with the organisers using the contact details on the official conference website: www.ruralwonca2026.com.
• Please forward any suspicious messages to your organisation’s IT/security team, and share them with communications@wonca.com so evidence can be collected and the sender/domain can be reported.

Key takeaway: If you did not ask for travel support, treat any unsolicited offer from “gtravelexpertise” (or similar) as a scam.

Rural WONCA 2026 - programme and registration

The conference programme was updated on Friday, 19 December 2025. Taking place in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, on 10-13 April 2026, the conference theme is Whānau Ora: Integrating Mātauranga Māori with rural health for a thriving future.

Registration is open, with social events and post-conference tours available. Donald Li Scholarship recipients may also use their awards to attend. More details, speakers, and a short conference video are available at ruralwonca2026.com.

Donald Li Scholarship information