Delhi travel agent held for duping foreign flyers with fake cancellations

The accused, Akshay Sharma, allegedly operated fake international call centres under the guise of his travel agency

A 40-year-old travel agency owner from west Delhi has been arrested for allegedly running a cyber fraud syndicate that duped citizens of the US, UK and Canada by booking their flight tickets and later cancelling them using forged documents, including fake death certificates, to illegitimately secure refunds, senior officers of the Delhi Police said.

The intelligence fusion and strategic operations (IFSO) unit recovered 36 laptops, six mobile phones and four hard drives following a raid at his office in Kirti Nagar on Tuesday. (Representational image)

The accused, Akshay Sharma, allegedly operated fake international call centres under the guise of his travel agency. The intelligence fusion and strategic operations (IFSO) unit recovered 36 laptops, six mobile phones and four hard drives following a raid at his office in Kirti Nagar on Tuesday.

Sharma’s interrogation revealed that he utilised online advertising platforms, including social media, and search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, to prominently display misleading advertisements for flight booking and cancellation services. These advertisements were strategically designed to appear above legitimate service providers on search results, said deputy commissioner of police (IFSO) Amit Kaushik.

“Once foreign nationals engaged with the service, they were asked to share sensitive financial details such as card numbers and CVVs under the pretext of processing bookings,” said Kaushik.

“Tickets were issued in the victims’ names and later cancelled using forged documents—including fake death and medical certificates—to claim full refunds. The syndicate would either withhold the amount or return a portion after deducting fictitious cancellation fees.”

Preliminary analysis of seized devices revealed hundreds of forged documents used in the fraud. During interrogation, Sharma confessed to running fraudulent call centres for several years, posing as an authorised international travel agent. He, along with accomplices, allegedly exploited airline refund processes through impersonation and forgery, Kaushik said.

Further investigation is underway to trace Sharma’s associates, follow the money trail, and coordinate with international law enforcement agencies.