Doctor swindled of Rs 26,500 in Hotel booking scam

Dr Mannan Gupta had booked a hotel called Kainchi Dham Ashram through an online search, hoping to start the year afresh with a serene trip in early February, reports the Daily. According to Gupta, a hotel employee claimed the property was inside the Neem Karoli temple compound, making it seem like an ideal choice. “We wanted to stay somewhere close to the (Neem Karoli Baba) Ashram (also known as Kainchi Dham),” said Dr Gupta.

According to The Indian Express, the staff shared the hotel’s bank details with the unsuspecting doctor. He stated, “The rooms looked simple and the price was nominal… I wanted to book two rooms.” The doctor had some suspicion as the Bank details did not have the hotel’s name but the accused assured him that the payment would reach the hostel for booking.

After the doctor transferred Rs.13,050 through NEFT, the employee insisted the payment had not been received. Gupta shared transaction details and screenshots, but the employee demanded a second payment via UPI, promising to refund the initial amount. Trusting the assurances, Gupta paid Rs.13,450 through UPI. The Daily reports that the employee then disappeared, leaving Gupta scammed out of Rs.26,500.

The doctor stated, “He stopped taking my calls, even my accountant’s calls… after calling him persistently for a day I realised it was a scam. Then I found that no such hotel existed.” Upon realizing the fraud, Gupta filed a complaint on the cybercrime portal.

The trend of doctors falling victim to online fraud is on the rise across the country. In a similar case, an Indore-based doctor was duped of Rs 3.08 crore by a woman who lured him with promises of high investment returns.