As India’s travel industry continues to witness a surge in online bookings, an equally alarming trend is emerging in the background—the rise of fake hotel websites and fraudulent booking platforms. What was once an occasional cybercrime has now become a growing challenge that affects not only travellers but also the credibility of genuine hotels across the country.
Cybercriminals are increasingly creating fake websites that closely resemble official hotel pages by copying brand names, logos, photographs and content. In many cases, they even list fake customer care numbers that appear on search engines and online directories. Believing these platforms to be genuine, travellers make advance payments via UPI or bank transfer, only to discover later that their reservation never existed.
While guests suffer financial losses and disrupted travel plans, the impact on the hospitality industry is equally significant. Hotels often face the difficult task of dealing with angry customers despite having no involvement in the fraud. Rebuilding customer confidence after such incidents can take months, making online impersonation a reputational risk as much as a cybersecurity challenge.
Industry experts believe that as hotels invest heavily in digital marketing and direct bookings, cybercriminals are exploiting their growing online visibility. Independent hotels and boutique resorts, in particular, are increasingly becoming targets because they may not always have the resources to monitor and report fake websites at scale.
According to Akaal Singh Manchanda – Director Zuper Hotels & Resorts The increasing number of fake hotel booking scams is a serious concern for the hospitality industry and travellers alike. While hotels continue to strengthen their digital security, there is an equally pressing need for faster and more robust cyber law enforcement to identify and act against fraudulent websites and online impersonators. At the same time, we want to reassure guests that booking through a hotel’s official website, verified social media pages, or trusted travel partners remains completely safe. We encourage travellers to reconfirm payment details through the hotel’s official contact channels if they have even the slightest doubt. A simple verification can go a long way in ensuring a secure and worry-free travel experience.
Sonali Sethi Head of Sales and Marketing Seclude Hotels added Hospitality has always been a people business. What’s changed is where that relationship begins. Discovery, comparison and payments all happen online today, but we’ve noticed that the moment payments are involved, people still want the reassurance of speaking to another person.
Interestingly, fake websites haven’t been something we’ve encountered at Seclude so far. That doesn’t make it any less real. As more guests book online, it’s a challenge every hospitality brand needs to be prepared for. If anything, we’ve occasionally dealt with guests claiming a payment has gone through when our teams haven’t received it yet.
That’s exactly why we continue to invest in an experienced in-house reservations team that guests can easily reach whenever they need reassurance or support, alongside our digital channels. Technology has made booking faster and more convenient, but hospitality has always been a business built on conversations. The brands that will earn lasting trust are the ones that get that balance right.
Industry stakeholders believe tackling the issue requires collaboration between hospitality companies, cybercrime authorities, search engines, domain registrars and digital platforms. Faster takedowns of fraudulent websites, stricter verification mechanisms for domains and business listings, and stronger action against online impersonation can significantly reduce the scale of these scams.
Adding to this, Parth Sharma, Director, Whitestone Hotels and Resorts said, Fake hotel websites have emerged as one of the most serious digital threats facing the hospitality industry today. Cybercriminals are creating convincing replicas of official hotel websites, complete with authentic logos, property images, contact details, and even booking interfaces. By leveraging paid advertisements and manipulated search engine rankings, these fraudulent websites mislead travellers into making payments for bookings that never reach the actual hotel. While guests suffer financial losses, the hotel’s reputation is often the biggest casualty, despite having no involvement in the fraudulent transaction.
An equally concerning trend is the rise of payment and refund fraud targeting hotels directly. Fraudsters make seemingly legitimate bookings using fake or manipulated UPI payment confirmations that appear successful initially. They then cancel the reservation shortly afterward and request a refund. If hotels process refunds without thoroughly verifying settlement credits and reconciling transactions with their bank accounts, they risk losing money without ever receiving the original payment.
The industry must strengthen digital payment verification, implement robust reconciliation processes, and educate both guests and hotel teams on identifying fraudulent activity. At Whitestone, we have enhanced our payment verification protocols to address these risks proactively. As digital transactions continue to grow, collaboration between hospitality businesses, payment providers, search platforms, and regulatory authorities will be essential to safeguard consumer trust and protect the industry’s digital ecosystem
The hospitality sector also has a role to play by educating consumers. Hotels can regularly communicate their verified booking channels, display official contact details prominently across digital platforms, and encourage guests to verify payment information before transferring money.With digital bookings becoming the preferred choice for travellers, trust has become one of the hospitality industry’s most valuable assets. Protecting that trust will require stronger cybersecurity, quicker enforcement against fraudsters and greater public awareness. As online travel continues to grow, safeguarding both travellers and hotel brands must become a shared responsibility across the entire travel ecosystem.
