With the surge in tourism in Meghalaya, a troubling phenomenon of tourists being scammed under the guise of hotel bookings has emerged. Numerous visitors have fallen victim to fraudsters while trying to secure accommodations in the state.
Parambir Singh Sehdave, president of the Federation of Shillong Hotels, shared insights with The Shillong Times about the tactics used by these scammers. They exploit hotel room photos from various legitimate websites, posting their own phone numbers on unverified sites. Posing as hotel representatives, these fraudsters attract unsuspecting tourists by offering expensive rooms at significantly lower prices.
Upon arrival, the duped tourists find that no such bookings exist at the hotels. Sehdave stressed that booking through reputable and verified websites can prevent such scams.
The prevalence of these scams in Meghalaya is substantial, with many incidents going unreported. Almost every hotel property in the state has been affected in some way.
Scammers often use digital transaction spoof apps to deceive victims into believing payments have been made when, in reality, no money has been transferred. These spoof apps are readily available in the market, further complicating the issue.
Tourists have been advised to exercise caution and verify the authenticity of booking websites to avoid falling prey to these scams.
