BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to ensure a hassle-free stay for tourists during the Rath Yatra and curb online hotel booking fraud, Puri Police on Friday released a list of 77 verified hotels in the pilgrim town.
The list includes the hotels’ official websites, email IDs and contact numbers, enabling devotees and tourists to make bookings through authentic channels.
Puri SP Prateek Singh urged visitors to exercise caution while booking accommodation online and advised them to rely only on the verified details shared by the police. He also asked tourists to confirm reservations directly with the hotels before making any payment.
The verified list has been shared through Puri Police’s official social media handles along with advisories containing comprehensive hotel information. Police have cautioned people against booking through third-party links offering suspiciously low tariffs and warned them not to transfer money to unknown bank accounts or UPI IDs.
The advisory comes amid a rise in cyber frauds involving fake hotel booking websites. According to police, fraudsters have been creating websites impersonating reputed hotels in Puri and luring visitors with attractive offers and duping them.
Police said they have so far taken down more than 40 fake hotel booking websites and email IDs allegedly operated by cyber fraudsters targeting pilgrims.
Police have also launched a cyber awareness campaign to alert visitors about fake hotel booking portals, fraudulent donation links and phishing attempts. They have also shared aWhatsApp chatbot number - 8763199400 and emergency helpline number 112 to report any fraud or crime.