Mumbai: Fraudsters tag own number with resort on Google Maps to con guests

Mumbai: Malvani police have booked unknown persons for fraud for linking their number with a city resort and siphoning off money from people.

The fraudsters linked their phone numbers to the Green Village Resort on Google Maps; when people call to make a booking, these fraudsters accept an online payent but no bookings are made in their name. An FIR has been registered at the Malvani police station in this regard.

The Green Village Resort in the Malvani area of Malad has now stopped taking online bookings. Resort manager Sachin Patil said when someone searches for the resort online, photos of the resort appear, with the number of the fraudster listed for bookings.

When someone calls the fraudster who identifies himself as Anil Mehta and accepts online payments made in advance by offering callers inexpensive deals.

According to Patil, people have been cheated of various amounts ranging from Rs 2,000 to 90,000. “In the last 15 days, 4-6 people come in daily, showing a message of the money being deposited online. But their booking has not been done with us,” Patil said, adding that people mostly argue with the staff and some even threaten to make a police complaint.