Online booking scams ensnare travellers including many visiting Meghalaya
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 22: Meghalaya’s tourism industry is facing a growing threat from online booking scams, exposing the need for stronger cyber security awareness.
In a breakthrough, the Cyber Crime Police arrested 25-year-old Lalit Khare from Madhya Pradesh for running a fake hotel booking racket that tricked travellers, including many visiting Meghalaya.
Khare created fraudulent hotel websites for popular tourist destinations like Goa, Odisha, and Meghalaya.
He posed as hotel staff, convincing customers to transfer money for bookings that didn’t exist.
The scam came to light after multiple tourists arrived in Shillong only to find their reservations were fake leaving them stranded.
This type of fraud has become common in Meghalaya, with many visitors unknowingly falling victim.
Scammers use photos from real hotels on fake websites, listing their contact details. They lure tourists with attractive discounts on luxury rooms, only for travellers to discover upon arrival that no booking was made.
Many cases go unreported, but nearly every hotel in the state has been affected in some way.
Fraudsters also use digital payment spoofing apps to make it appear as if payments have been made. These easily available apps make it harder to catch scammers.
