The Most Common Travel Booking Scams

Fake Hotel Websites

Scammers create near-identical copies of legitimate hotel websites. You book and pay — but there's no reservation when you arrive.

Fake Travel Agents

Especially common for Hajj, Umrah, pilgrimage, and international visa packages. Fraudsters collect advance payments and disappear.

Too-Good-to-Be-True Deals

Heavily discounted packages on unofficial platforms — often leads to either fake bookings or poor-quality services.

How to Book Safely

  • Use only IATA-certified travel agents — verify at iata.org
  • Book hotels directly through the hotel's official website or major platforms like MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, Agoda
  • Always check the website URL — look for HTTPS and verify the domain is correct
  • Read reviews on multiple platforms — Google, TripAdvisor, etc.
  • Pay by credit card (not debit/UPI for large bookings) — credit cards offer better fraud protection
Get confirmation in writing: Always demand a written booking confirmation with the full property name, address, check-in/out dates, and booking reference number.

Verifying a Travel Agent

  • Check if they have a physical address and GST registration
  • Look them up on the Ministry of Tourism's registered tour operator list
  • Ask for references and read their Google reviews carefully
  • Avoid agents who only communicate via WhatsApp with no official email
Visa processing scams: Only use official government visa portals or VFS Global for visa applications. Never pay a "visa agent" who asks for full payment upfront with no receipt.