Tourists alerted on fake hotel websites
Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the annual Rath Yatra in Puri, the CID of Odisha Police on Wednesday issued an alert to tourists about fake hotel websites. The police also said it removed 11 such sites as hotel booking scams are on the rise in Odisha, especially in places like Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
Fraudsters create fake websites and social media pages that look genuine, offering cheap rates, urgent deals and guaranteed bookings, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) said in a statement. The CID said the fake websites demand full payment and use fake customer care phone numbers and receipts to lure tourists. This is their modus operandi, it said.
'Many of these fake sites appear at the top of online search results, making them hard to identify and the victims often realise the scam only after reaching the destination,' it said. The police have received 317 complaints through the cyber crime helpline number 1930, along with alerts from government bodies, hotel owners and the general public regarding fake websites offering fraudulent hotel deals.
Acting upon the complaints, the CID officers immediately removed 11 fake hotel booking websites. The social media team of the Crime Branch in Odisha is actively and continuously monitoring online platforms to detect and take down such fake sites, the statement said.
Ensuring a safe and scam-free experience for all during this sacred festival remains a top priority, it said. 'Our team is actively keeping an eye on any fake hotel websites, and it is taking quick action to remove those as soon as they come to its notice,' the CID statement said.
The police have advised citizens to book hotels only through verified platforms and genuine official websites. People have also been asked to cross-check the phone numbers of the hotels and their addresses by using Google maps and confirm their bookings by calling directly.
Avoid making full advance payments, pay partially if possible and use secure payment gateways instead of direct UPI or wallet transfers, the CID statement said. Tourists have been advised to be cautious of unrealistically low-priced deals, especially near Puri during Rath Yatra. If anyone comes across fake hotel websites or suspicious listings, they can report it immediately to the cyber crime helpline at 1930.
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Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Route and parking arrangement for vehicles coming to Puri As per reports, traffic arrangements for tourist and regular buses during Rath Yatra Buses coming from Bhubaneswar will be permitted to park at Malatipatapur Parking, and must return via the same route. 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Two-wheeler movement guidelines for Rath Yatra 2025 From Bhubaneswar and Brahmagiri Sides Two-wheelers coming from these directions will be allowed to park at Old Jagannath Ballav Parking (JBPC) on a first-come-first-served basis. Once this area is full, vehicles will be diverted to Matitota Helipad Ground and then to Matitota Playground Parking via Malatipatapur, Batagaon, and Mangalaghat. Vehicles parked at Old JBPC must exit via Jatiababaji Chhaka, Kumbharapada Police Station, Atharanala, and Batagaon. Vehicles parked at the Matitota side will return through Mangalaghat. From Konark Side Two-wheelers will be allowed up to Blue Flag Beach and Hotel Neelachal Ashok Parking via Baidas Nagar, Grid Station, Helipad, Penthakata Chhaka, CT Road, and Subhash Bose Chhaka. Shuttle service (three-wheelers) route plan for Rath Yatra 2025 From Talabania Three-wheelers will travel to Ghoda Bazar via Water Works Road, Odisha Bakery, and Ram Mandir. 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