Published July 1, 2026 · 4 min read

With lakhs of devotees expected to descend on Puri for the upcoming Rath Yatra, Odisha authorities have moved to shut down a network of fraudulent hotel booking websites designed to cheat pilgrims and tourists out of their advance payments.

What Happened

Ahead of the upcoming Rath Yatra, authorities in Odisha have blocked 46 fraudulent hotel booking websites that were allegedly targeting devotees and tourists visiting Puri. The fake portals were built to closely imitate genuine hotel booking websites, complete with familiar layouts, room photos, and pricing designed to look legitimate at a glance.

The Odisha Crime Branch launched the takedown operation after receiving complaints from several victims who discovered, often only after arriving in Puri, that the “confirmed” hotel bookings they had paid for online simply didn’t exist. Despite making full advance payments through these fake sites, visitors found no record of their reservations at the actual hotels.

How the Scam Worked

The fraudulent websites relied on a classic advance-payment scam structure: convincing visuals and familiar branding lured travelers into believing they were booking directly with a hotel, while in reality the payment went straight into the fraudsters’ accounts. Because Rath Yatra draws enormous crowds to Puri every year, genuine hotel rooms are scarce and in high demand — conditions that make travelers more likely to book quickly, and less likely to double-check a website’s authenticity before paying.

Festival season and pilgrimage travel create exactly the kind of urgency scammers rely on — limited rooms, tight timelines, and travelers eager to lock in a booking before prices rise.

Why This Matters

This isn’t an isolated incident. Fake booking sites tend to surface around major festivals and pilgrimages across India, when demand for accommodation spikes and travelers are more willing to book sight unseen. The Odisha Crime Branch’s proactive takedown — acting before the Rath Yatra rush rather than only after complaints piled up — reflects a growing shift toward preventive cybercrime enforcement around high-footfall events.

Staying Safe When Booking Hotels Online

• Book directly through official hotel websites, verified travel platforms, or numbers listed on the hotel’s official pages — not links shared via SMS, WhatsApp, or search ads.
• Call the hotel directly to confirm a booking before making any advance payment, especially for lesser-known properties.
• Be wary of prices that seem unusually low for peak festival dates — this is a common lure in fake listings.
• Check for a secure connection (https) and look up the website’s registration age or reviews before paying.
• Keep payment confirmations and screenshots, and report suspected fraud to the local Cyber Crime helpline (1930) immediately.

Compiled from public statements by the Odisha Crime Branch. This report is for informational purposes; details may be updated as the investigation progresses.

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