A man from Kachiguda fell victim to fraud and lost Rs 2.42 lakh. Scammers pretending to be customer service agents from a cruise company tricked him by claiming to arrange permit letters for Lakshadweep, according to police reports on Monday.
On December 26, the man found a website advertising cruise trips to Kochi, Lakshadweep, and Mumbai. Thinking it was legitimate, he booked a cruise for four people and paid an advance of Rs 23,680.
Later, he received messages from people claiming to be customer care executives. They convinced him to make several more payments, saying these were necessary for obtaining Lakshadweep permit letters, including fees for two children.
The fraudsters frequently mentioned technical problems and assured him that he would receive refunds at checkout to persuade him to pay more. Eventually, they claimed there were payment issues, canceled the booking for no valid reason, and demanded Rs 48,500 as cancellation fees, promising a refund of the total amount.
As a result, he lost Rs 2.42 lakh due to the scam. Police have registered a case and started an investigation. The Hyderabad cybercrime police advise the public to be cautious when booking cruises online.
