India, June 25 -- With the Rath Yatra festival approaching, the Odisha Crime Branch has issued a stern warning against the surge in online hotel booking scams, particularly targeting travellers heading to Puri, Bhubaneswar, and Cuttack.

In a press release issued today, the Crime Branch revealed that fraudsters have created numerous fake websites and social media pages mimicking popular hotels and tourism platforms. These fake platforms offer attractive rates and guaranteed bookings, tricking customers into making full advance payments through UPI, digital wallets, or bank transfers. Victims often discover they've been duped only upon reaching their destination.

The Crime Branch has already received 317 complaints related to such scams ...