Content creator loses ₹93,600 in hotel booking scam through fake Google listing
The scammers also issued a fake invoice, but when she requested an email confirmation, they said the “system was down.”
A woman content creator was scammed out of ₹93,600 while trying to book a hotel through a fraudulent Google listing.
In an Instagram video, Shreya Mitra said while planning a trip to Odisha's Puri, she searched for hotels online, Googled Mayfair Heritage Puri, and clicked on the first result, assuming it was genuine.
Shreya then called the listed contact number and inquired about booking her stay, unaware that it was a scam.
What happened next?
The scammers sent her images and room information, persuading her to proceed with the booking by making the required payment.
They also issued a fake invoice, but when she requested an email confirmation, they said the “system was down.” The following day, they called her again, instructing her to open the Google Pay app, click “Pay,” and input a booking ID to get confirmation.
Getting suspicious, Shreya refused to follow their instructions and demanded an official email confirmation. The scammers then abruptly hung up.
Realising she had been deceived, Mitra looked up the official contact details for Mayfair Heritage Puri and confirmed with the hotel that the listing she used was a fraud.
“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 on Instagram.
"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," she added.
After her complaint, the Cybercrime department took down the fake Google listing, according to an NDTV report.