Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police has issued a warning to the public regarding fraudulent hotel booking websites, particularly targeting major tourist destinations like Puri, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack.
Fraudsters are creating fake websites of established hotels, luring tourists with attractive offers, low prices, and guaranteed bookings advertised on social media.
In response to this surge in online fraud, the State Crime Branch has taken special measures. So far, 317 complaints have been registered through the cybercrime helpline 1930, and immediate action has been initiated against the illegal hotel booking websites.
The social media team of the Crime Branch, Odisha, is actively working to combat these fake websites. They are collaborating with Google and other platforms to ensure the removal of these deceptive sites.
Here are some examples of the fake website URLs identified by the Odisha Police:
- https://www.hoteldeepganga.com/
- https://www.mayfairheritagepuri.org/
- https://www.hoteltamilnadu.com/
- https://otdcpanthanivaspuri.in
- https://www.hotelspuri.net
- https://hotel-panthanivas-puri-otdc.hotelsgds.com
- https://www.hotelpathanivaspuri.site
- https://otdcpanthanivaspuri.co.in
- www.otdcpanthanivas.in
- https://panthanivaspuri.co.in
- http://thehanscocopalms.in
The public is advised to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of hotel booking websites before making any payments to avoid falling victim to such scams.