Bhubaneswar: The Cyber Crime Unit of Odisha Crime Branch (CB) has identified 23 fake hotel booking websites and blocked 15 of them to ensure pilgrims and tourists have a hassle free experience during Rath Yatra.
According to an official release, cyber criminals have been creating fake websites of hotels in Puri to scam people, travelling to the pilgrim town to participate in the annual festival, by offering them discounts over the online bookings. “These fake websites or pages are designed in such a manner that they resemble legitimate websites of hotels in appearance, branding and also have a similar URL, making it very difficult for the public to distinguish between real and fake. After gaining victims’ trust, they ask for full payments through UPI, digital wallets, or bank transfers and provide them fake booking confirmation,” it said.
The agency said many such fake sites appear on top of Google search results, making it difficult to ascertain their genuineness.
Earlier, it had taken down 11 fake hotel booking websites.
The release further stated that the social media team of CB has been continuously monitoring online platforms to detect fake hotel booking websites after a lot of people lost a lot of money due to such scams last year. iI has issued an advisory to visitors to book hotels only through verified platforms like Make My Trip, Goibibo, Booking.com or official tourism websites. “You should always double-check if it’s the right phone number and location of the hotel (on Google Maps) and remember to call and confirm the booking with the hotel directly. Avoid making full advance payments, and always use secure gateways and do not send money through UPI or wallets. Make sure you get a legitimate SMS or email confirmation with a booking ID. And if something seems too good to be true, proceed with caution; make sure to check recent reviews whenever possible. If you see suspicious sites or fake listings, report them right away to the Cyber helpline number 1930.”
According to police sources, at least 15 tourists were defrauded of approximately Rs 60,000 by scammers during online hotel bookings in the state. In April, the CB apprehended two individuals, including an IT professional from Uttar Pradesh, for tricking tourists with a fake website mimicking the guest house facilities of Puri Jagannath Temple.
