Odisha Crime Branch detects 23 fake hotel booking websites, blocks 15 amid Rath Yatra festivity

In a major cyber crackdown amid Rath Yatra festivity, the Cyber Crime Unit of Odisha Crime Branch has identified 23 fake hotel booking websites and blocked 15 out of them.

These websites, created by cyber fraudsters, were targeting unsuspecting tourists by mimicking the official pages of popular hotels in Puri. Offering fake discounts and falsely promising confirmed bookings, the fraudsters duped customers who made advance payments through UPI, digital wallets, and bank transfers.

The fake sites were designed to closely resemble legitimate ones, copying branding, logos, and even using similar URLs. Many of these pages were also promoted to the top of Google search results, increasing their reach and deception.

The Crime Branch's Social Media Team has been on round-the-clock surveillance since June 22, following multiple complaints last year where tourists lost significant amounts of money in similar scams. The cyber monitoring drive will continue until the Suna Besha ritual of the Rath Yatra.

Public Advisory

• Always book hotels through reliable platforms like MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, or official tourism websites.
• Double-check phone numbers and hotel locations via Google Maps.
• Call the hotel directly to confirm your booking.
• Avoid full advance payments unless booking through verified, secure platforms.
• Report suspicious sites immediately to the national cyber helpline 1930.