Mumbai: Now that Christmas and New Year trips are over and done with, people have begun to plan ahead, for May, the month in which traditionally families go on a long vacation and cybercriminals are well-versed with this open secret and are making hay before May. They target citizens who are on the lookout for early bird offers online, according to police. Cybercriminals are constantly trying to lure people with click-and-bait offers of holiday package deals and luxurious stays in five-star hotels. In 2019, Mumbai cyberpolice identified and shut down 57 such fake holiday websites.
A cyberpolice officer said, last year, around April, a huge number of cheating cases came to the fore -- the modus operandi was to lure prospective vacationers with the fake website of a holiday package portal and dupe them of thousands of rupees. “This type of cheating is at its peak before the onset of the holiday season and later, when citizens are looking for last-minute bargains. As part of their con, the accused creates a website and contacts the victim based on their search algorithms,” said a cyberofficer.
When similar complaints started pouring in, police shut down such websites, to prevent other people from being conned. “In 2019, Mumbai Cyber Police shut down 57 such fake travel websites reported by victims. Interestingly, the websites were remarkably similar to the originals but there would be a few giveaways, which would go unnoticed by people without technological expertise,” said a police officer, requesting confidentiality.
In November 2019, Amboli Police had arrested a Gujarat couple, Seema and Raman Patel, who had duped at least 11 individuals to the tune of Rs 12 lakh, on the pretext of providing holiday packages and accommodation in five-star hotels. The couple would charge anywhere between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh for various 'holiday packages', but never fulfilled their promise.
'Scam' signs to look for
Make sure the website of the payment gateway begins with ‘https’, and not just ‘http’
Ensure there is a green padlock next to the website, which means that the communication is encrypted.
Safeguard your computer and mobile with an anti-virus programme
Do not share your One-Time Password (OTP) with anybody
What to do after making reservations
Call the travel website or the hotel and confirm your reservations. If unable to do so, call your bank and ask them to block the transaction, as there is always a window of 30-45 minutes for the transaction to be authenticated.
Even if you miss this crucial timeframe, make it a point to inform your bank. Though the money may have been credited to the account through which the transaction has been routed, it might not have been withdrawn. Bank-to-bank communication will make sure that the transaction is kept on hold and the money is not withdrawn.
