Content Creator Falls Victim to ₹93,600 Hotel Booking Scam via Fake Google Listing
A content creator, Shreya Mitra, was scammed out of ₹93,600 while attempting to book a hotel for her trip to Odisha’s Puri. The scam occurred after she came across a fraudulent listing for Mayfair Heritage Puri on Google, which appeared legitimate at first glance.
A content creator, Shreya Mitra, was scammed out of ₹93,600 while attempting to book a hotel for her trip to Odisha’s Puri. The scam occurred after she came across a fraudulent listing for Mayfair Heritage Puri on Google, which appeared legitimate at first glance.
Mitra, who had planned her trip, searched for hotels in Puri and clicked on the first result that appeared for Mayfair Heritage Puri. Believing the listing to be genuine, she called the number provided on the page to inquire about the booking process.
What followed was a convincing scam operation. The fraudsters sent her images and room details, encouraging her to proceed with the booking by making an upfront payment. After receiving her money, they issued a fake invoice. However, when Mitra requested an email confirmation, they claimed the system was down.
The following day, the scammers called again, instructing her to open the Google Pay app, click “Pay,” and input a booking ID to confirm her reservation. Sensing something was off, Mitra refused to comply and insisted on an official email confirmation. The scammers quickly ended the call.
Realizing she had been tricked, Mitra immediately searched for the correct contact information for Mayfair Heritage Puri and confirmed with the hotel that the listing she had used was a fraud.
In an Instagram post, Mitra shared her experience, warning others of the scam. “It’s hard to understand if it’s a fake Mayfair when the first search takes you to the fake webpage and details for Mayfair Heritage Puri. The scammers are still scamming people, the number is still active, and they have multiple bank accounts. Please share it forward, especially if you’re in the East, because many people look at booking them during the holiday season,” she wrote.
Despite the loss of ₹93,600, Mitra expressed a positive outlook, saying, “Well, the money is gone. The police will try to catch them, but once the money is encashed, there’s lesser or no chance of recovery. The best is the racket is caught. As far as I am concerned, I am okay. I have accepted this has happened to me. There’s a lot I have in life to be grateful for and fall back on while I navigate the horrible feeling of being cheated.”
Mitra’s story serves as a cautionary tale for others, urging vigilance when making online bookings, particularly when dealing with unknown or unverified listings.
Sources By Agencies
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