As soon as the holiday season starts, attractive offers like ‘80% Off’, ‘Dubai Tour Only ₹9999’, ‘Europe Trip at Throwaway Price’ start appearing on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram. Out of greed, many people make the payment immediately, but later come to know that the entire website was fake. In such a situation, not only the holiday is wasted, but the bank account also becomes empty.

How do fake travel websites work?

Fraudsters create websites in a very professional manner. These websites look like real MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, Yatra or Booking.com. They lure you with huge discounts and ask you to make quick payment. After taking the money they disappear.

Identify fake website like this

deep discount
Discounts of 70-80% or more are mostly fake. Such huge discounts are rarely available on genuine websites.

Check website address (URL)
The original website is always on the correct domain.

Example:
Right: makemytrip.com
Fake: makemytrip-sale.in, makemytrip-discount.net

HTTPS and lock mark
Every secure website has https and lock symbol, but this symbol can also be made on fake sites.

Customer Reviews and Ratings
It is suspicious that hundreds of 5-star reviews suddenly appear on the new website.

Contact Details
The phone number, address or customer care email on the fake website is missing or incorrect.

1. Easy security measures
   Always book through the official app or website.
2. Do not click on unknown links.
3. While making payment, use official payment gateway instead of UPI or card.
4. If in doubt, try a smaller amount first.
5. Keep 2-factor authentication (2FA) on.

What to do if you get cheated?

• Call your bank immediately and ask to stop the transaction.
• Call 1930 (Cyber ​​Helpline) or lodge a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in.
• It’s nice to dream of a vacation, but it’s foolish to lose your money by getting lured by an 80% discount. Always be alert, check the official website and stay away from unknown links.