The rise of the digital age has brought a surge in online scams, with many people falling victim to fraud on the internet. In a recent incident, a woman named Shreya Mitra lost Rs 93,600 while trying to book a hotel stay through a fake listing on Google. Shreya shared her experience in an Instagram video, warning others to be cautious when booking online.

How the scam happened

Shreya was planning a trip to Puri and searched for hotels online. She typed in Mayfair Heritage Puri on Google and clicked on the first result that appeared. Believing the listing was legitimate, she called the contact number provided and discussed her booking. The scammers then sent her photos and details of the room, which convinced her to proceed with the booking. They asked her to pay to confirm her reservation.

The fraudsters sent Shreya a fake invoice, but when she requested an email confirmation of her booking, they told her there was a system outage. The next morning, they called again, asking her to open the Google Pay app, click on ‘Pay,’ and enter a booking ID to confirm her booking. However, Shreya became suspicious and refused to comply. Instead, she insisted on receiving an official email confirmation.

When she asked for an official email, the scammers abruptly hung up the phone. Realising she had been scammed, Shreya decided to double-check with Mayfair Heritage Puri by contacting them directly. The hotel confirmed that the listing she used was a fake one.

Shreya's message of warning and acceptance

Shreya shared her experience on Instagram, telling her followers how hard it was to recognise the fake listing. She said, "It's hard to understand if it's a fake Mayfair when the first search takes you to the fake webpage and details for Mayfair Heritage Puri. The scammers are still scamming people, the number is still active, and they have multiple bank accounts. Please share it forward, especially if you're in the East, because many people look at booking them during the holiday season."

Even though Shreya lost the money, she accepted the situation with a positive attitude. She wrote, "Well, the money is gone. The police will try to catch them, but once the money is encashed, there's less or no chance of recovery. The best is the racket is caught. As far as I am concerned, I am okay. I have accepted this has happened to me. There's a lot I have in life to be grateful for and fall back on while I navigate the horrible feeling of being cheated."

After Shreya’s complaint, the fake Google listing was taken down by the Cybercrime department.

Support from social media users and growing concern

Shreya’s story received a lot of support from people on social media. Many users expressed sympathy and shared comforting words. One user commented, "Hey, so sorry it happened to you. I have heard of this one, and that's why I always make a 10 Rs transaction first and then check with the respective person if they have received it. Only after the confirmation do I make the bigger transaction."

Another user said, "Omg... feels like these scammers are everywhere now. Your positivity in this situation is truly appreciable, Shreya." A third user shared, "Google searches are scary AF. One of my friends got scammed similarly while searching for a nearby wine shop for home delivery. Can't trust anything these days!! Thank you for sharing this, Shreya. Hoping you somehow recover the money." 

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