Are "unpublished" flight deals from phone-only agencies legit?

I’m planning a trip to Bali this summer and the prices on Google Flights are insane ($1,500+). I keep seeing ads for travel agencies that claim they have secret unpublished fares if you call them directly. They quoted me $950 for the same route, but I have to pay over the phone and they issue the ticket manually. Is this a scam, or do they actually have access to inventory that isn't online?

It works because they buy bulk tickets or use creative routing. I used one for a last-minute flight to a funeral in London and saved $400. Just make sure you get a ticket number (starts with 3 digits like 001 or 016) immediately after paying. If they delay issuing it, chargeback immediately.

I came across this last year for a family trip to Italy. The price difference was tempting, almost too good to be true. I spent a solid afternoon cross-referencing their business license and reading threads on https://wowfare.pissedconsumer.com/review.html to understand how these consolidators operate when things go wrong. It seems like the main complaint is a lack of flexibility, once you buy these secret tickets, they are usually 100% non-refundable and non-changeable. I decided the $200 savings weren't worth the risk of being stranded if our plans changed, so I booked direct.