Wednesday, December 11, 2024
spot_img

Fake hotel bookings on the rise in Shillong; tourists scammed

Date:

Share post:

spot_img
spot_img

SHILLONG, July 2: Against the backdrop of surging tourism in Meghalaya, a phenomenon involving tourists being scammed under the pretense of hotel bookings is rearing its ugly head. Numerous visitors have fallen victim to fraudsters while attempting to secure accommodation in the state.
Parambir Singh Sehdave, president of the Federation of Shillong Hotels, informed The Shillong Times about the scammers’ tactics. They use hotel room photos from various websites and post their own phone numbers on unverified websites. Posing as hotel representatives, these scammers lure unsuspecting tourists with offers of expensive rooms at significantly lower prices.
Upon arrival, the duped tourists discover that no such bookings exist at the hotel. Sehdave emphasised that booking through reputable and verified websites can prevent such scams.
The prevalence of these scams in Meghalaya is significant, with many cases remaining unreported. Almost every hotel property in the state has been affected in some way.
Scammers often employ digital transaction spoof apps to deceive victims into believing payments have been made, when in reality, no money has been transferred. These spoof apps are readily available in the market, further complicating the issue.
Tourists have been advised to use caution and verify the authenticity of booking websites to avoid falling prey to these scams.

spot_img
spot_img

Related articles

Ampati Govt School wins science exhibition

TURA, Dec 10: Eight schools from across South West Garo Hills district participated in the District Level Science,...

Villagers attack police vehicle to save timber smugglers in WGH

Rajabala, Dec 10: A police vehicle, which had got into a chase against a vehicle carrying illegal timber,...

MHRC marks year of Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Shillong, Dec 10: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on Tuesday celebrated the 76th year of the Universal...

CM announces expansion of Weiloi-Mawkyrwat road

Mawkyrwat, Dec 10: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced the expansion of the much-awaited Weiloi-Mawkyrwat road at Rs...