Pune: Lonavla Resort Falls Victim to Online Fraud, Fake Websites Dupe Guests
Lonavla, 18th January 2024: In a cybercrime incident, miscreants created two counterfeit websites mirroring a renowned luxury resort near Lonavla. At least five unsuspecting guests fell victim to the scam, collectively losing Rs1.4 lakh in room booking charges. The fraudulent activities occurred between September and October last year.
Upon thorough examination, resort authorities discovered that the fake websites closely resembled the genuine one. However, the scammers provided three distinct bank account numbers for the transfer of booking charges. The resort’s legal manager promptly filed a complaint with the Paud police on Monday.
According to the complaint, the resort, located approximately 90 km from the city, accepts bookings through its official website and also employs a hospitality company for this purpose. The resort’s legal manager recounted an incident where a customer claimed to have paid Rs75,000 and booked a room in September last year. Strangely, the customer’s name did not appear on the authentic website.
Paud police officers investigating the case revealed that the payment details, upon scrutiny, exposed the creation of a fake website through which the miscreants collected payment from the customer. The funds were then transferred to an account in a private bank located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
Further investigations by the legal manager unveiled another fake website, which successfully duped four additional customers. Payments made by these victims were transferred to two separate bank accounts at a private bank in Lonavla.
Despite the discovery of the scam, the complainant emphasized that the fake websites were still operational. Consequently, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Information and Technology Act.
The officer leading the investigation highlighted that the bogus websites provided accurate information about the resort, causing unsuspecting guests to contact the cybercriminals instead of resort employees or the designated sub-vendor. This lapse in verification led to the loss of money by the victims.
