Fake Website Scam Targets Holiday Resort Members, Cyber Police Register FIR Against Fraudsters
Mumbai, July 17: A fake website scam targeting members of a popular holiday resort chain has come to light after cyber police registered an FIR against unidentified fraudsters accused of creating fake websites and email addresses to cheat customers.
According to officials, the fraudsters allegedly created websites that closely resembled the official platforms of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd (MHRIL) and used them to trick members by offering fake membership upgrades and discounted annual subscription renewal plans.
MHRIL, which provides hospitality and holiday services across India through its official platform, offers various membership packages. These packages involve significant annual renewal fees, making members attractive targets for cybercriminals looking to exploit customer trust.
The fraud came to attention after a member, Rajesh Ganguly, reportedly contacted the company on June 23 and informed officials that he had made a payment of around ₹1.26 lakh on May 16 for a membership upgrade. However, he had not received any confirmation or update regarding the transaction.
Following his complaint, the company conducted an internal verification and found that it had neither received the payment nor any request related to the upgrade. This raised suspicion that the member had been deceived through a fake website or fraudulent communication.
The company’s IT team later identified and blocked one of the suspicious domains created by scammers. However, during further investigation, officials discovered that another deceptive website was also being used to target customers and collect sensitive details or payments.
Cyber police have started investigating the matter and are trying to identify the people behind the fraudulent websites and email accounts. Authorities are also examining whether more members of the holiday resort chain have been affected by the scam.
Officials have advised customers to remain cautious while making online payments or responding to messages related to membership renewals, upgrades, or special offers. They have urged users to verify website addresses carefully and make payments only through official company platforms.
The incident highlights the growing threat of online fraud, where scammers often create websites that look almost identical to genuine platforms to mislead customers. Cybercrime experts have repeatedly warned people to avoid clicking on unknown links received through emails, messages, or social media and to confirm details directly from official sources before making any financial transactions.
The investigation into the fake website scam is currently underway, and police are working to trace the fraudsters involved in the operation. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the probe.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
