Puri, July 3: With lakhs of devotees expected to visit Puri for the annual Rath Yatra, Puri Police have intensified their crackdown on cyber fraud by blocking 49 fake hotel booking websites that were duping tourists in the name of online room reservations.
The fraudulent websites, created in the names of reputed hotels in Puri, lured visitors with attractive room rates and collected advance payments online. Instead of reaching the actual hotels, the money was diverted to cyber fraudsters, leaving tourists cheated.
The action was taken jointly by Puri Police and the Odisha Crime Branch following complaints from victims and consultations with the Puri Hotel Association. The fake portals were found to be illegally using hotel names, phone numbers and email addresses, while fraudsters contacted customers through fake email IDs to convince them to make advance payments.
Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh said the safety and security of devotees during Rath Yatra remain the force's top priority. He said strict action against cyber criminals would continue and urged tourists to book accommodation only through official hotel websites. He also advised visitors to verify bookings directly with the hotel, avoid unusually cheap offers and refrain from transferring money to unknown bank accounts, UPI IDs or QR codes.
Puri Hotel Association Vice-President Rajkishore Patra said cyber fraud in the name of hotel bookings has been on the rise. He said the association immediately informs the police whenever such complaints are received, but in most cases victims fail to recover their money. He stressed the need for greater public awareness and urged the government to constitute a dedicated cyber squad with additional personnel to monitor such offences.
Puri Cyber Police Station IIC Geetanjali Nayak said the police are keeping a close watch on cyber fraudsters ahead of Rath Yatra. She said fake websites are removed immediately after complaints are received. However, fraudsters often create new websites using the names of the same hotels even after the earlier ones are blocked. She added that action against such cyber criminals will continue.
Police also warned that fraudsters have targeted not only private hotels but also fake websites in the name of the Shri Jagannath Temple Administration's Bhakta Nivas. Two accused from outside Odisha were arrested in connection with such fraud a few months ago.
According to police, more than 120 fake hotel booking websites have been taken down over the past year. In 2025 alone, more than 500 complaints of online financial fraud were registered with the police.
