Lately, there's been a significant rise in internet-based hotel scams, where con artists capitalize on the enthusiasm of travellers by enticing them with alluring discounts on holiday deals.
A Puri, India, Incident in the last 6 months, over a hundred tourists, mainly from West Bengal, have been duped by internet hotel scams while trying to reserve rooms in Puri.
The fraudsters created counterfeit websites for various Puri hotels, offering enticing discounts on travel packages and excursions. Scam Techniques These internet fraudsters often create phoney websites, baiting victims with attractive discounts on holiday packages. They use compelling prices as bait and often rush customers into making a booking by falsely claiming a limited-time offer or scarce availability.
Self-Protection Strategies To safeguard against these scams consider these methods:
• Use reputable booking sites like TripAdvisor, Agoda, Booking.com, or MakeMyTrip.
• These sites feature genuine hotel partnerships and verified listings.
• Alternatively, book directly through the hotel’s authentic website or call them.
• Verify the hotel's credibility through its official site and trustworthy reviews.
• Ensure the hotel’s contact details are valid and confirm its legitimacy.
• Avoid booking if the hotel lacks sufficient online presence.
• Steer clear of unrequested emails with hotel deal links or attachments.
• Provide payment details only on secure sites.
• Choose a robust password for your booking account.