Pilgrimage and Holiday Package Booking Scam by email

How it looks by email, the red flags and what to do.

Email is slower than SMS, so these scams usually pretend to be a bill, a refund, an account lock or a job offer and ask you to log in or open a file. Pilgrimage and Holiday Package Booking Scam is one of the ways this shows up: A cheap pilgrimage or holiday package takes an advance, then the hotel and travel bookings do not exist. See how families are cheated before trips.

What pilgrimage and holiday package booking scam looks like by email

• An attachment such as a PDF, ZIP or HTML file you did not expect.
• A generic greeting instead of your name.
• A login page that opens from the email and asks for your password and OTP.

The agent advertises on social media and local groups, with photos of popular spots and glowing reviews that are copied from real travel companies. He quotes a price that is well below normal and says it is possible because of a bulk contract. He sends a professional PDF with a day-by-day itinerary, a logo and a registration number that cannot be checked.

Red flags to check on the email

• A package price far below the market for the same trip.
• Payment demanded to a personal account or UPI ID.
• A registration number or address that cannot be checked.
• Vouchers with no hotel contact number or booking reference.
• The email asks you to log in through the link rather than through the official app.
• It carries a surprise invoice, refund or legal notice.

What to do

1. Ask for the hotel names and confirm the booking with each hotel directly.
2. Check the operator's registration with the tourism department.
3. Book transport and hotels yourself on known apps when possible.
4. Do not open the attachment and do not press the button.
5. Go to the company website by typing it yourself and check your account there.
6. Check the full sender address, not just the display name.

Use Report phishing in your email app. If money or accounts are affected, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in with the itinerary, chats and payment ids.
2. Tell your bank on the number printed on your card about the transfer.
3. Contact the hotels in the itinerary to confirm whether any booking exists.
4. File a complaint at the local police station and the tourism office.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio's scam check can read the agent's message for the below-market price, the advance demand and the 'few seats left' pressure, and the link check can warn about lookalike booking or payment pages. Money Shield provides a checklist before an advance. It cannot tell whether an agent is registered or a voucher is real, so confirm bookings with each hotel yourself.

Full guide: Pilgrimage and Holiday Package Booking Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: social media, WhatsApp, phone call.

Questions