Hyderabad Man Duped of ₹2.42 Lakh in Fake Online Cruise Booking Scam

While looking for a vacation, a resident of Kachiguda was surfing the phone when he stumbled on a website that provided cruise trips to Kochi, Lakshadweep and Mumbai.

Trusting the website, he booked a cruise trip for 4 people and paid an advance sum of Rs 23,680.

However, the man was unable to send the entire cruise amount in a go, so the fraudsters told him to make multiple payments. Later, they gave him the excuse of permit letters for Lakshadweep and an additional charge for the two children, and he was scammed with more money.

Afterward, the scammers alleged that there were payment failures and canceled the man's bookings. With no valid explanation, they demanded an additional 48,500 rupees from the man, citing as cancellation charges, and assured him that his full amount would be reimbursed, the city police said.

The victim was contacted through WhatsApp by people posing as cruise customer care executives, and reportedly the man has lost 2,42,488 rs in this entire scam.

The city police have registered a case in this matter and an investigation is underway. Meanwhile, the Police further issued a public advisory that mentions:

• Always book cruise packages only through the official website or authorized travel agents of the service provider.

• Be cautious of websites found in search results or advertisements that ask for advance payments in multiple installments.

• Do not make payments for permit letters, children charges, or add-ons unless they are clearly mentioned in the official booking confirmation.

• Never trust claims of technical issues, payment failures, or assured refunds used to demand repeated payments.
• Genuine companies do not demand cancellation charges upfront to process refunds.

• Verify customer care numbers from the official website only and avoid relying on WhatsApp communications.