CRIME 20th Jan 2025
North Goa police arrest Saurav (37) n/o Jaipur, Sayad Ali Mukhtar, Mohd Firoz & Mohd Azharuddin Saif all 3 natives of Hyderabad for alle
In a significant achievement, North Goa Police has uncovered a multi-crore scam operated by 4 persons allegedly posing as hotel operators, who duped unsuspecting tourists by exploiting loopholes on renowned booking platforms such as Booking.com.
Police have arrested Saurabh (s/o Ratan Lal Duseja), 37 years, resident of Nimbal Kar Ki Goth No.2, Hujrat Pull Savitri Niwas, Lakshar, Gwalior; Sayed Ali Mukhtar, resident of Alina Residency, Door No. 102, PS Seven Tombs, Tolichowki, Hyderabad; Sayed Ali Mukhtar, resident of Alina Residency, Door No. 102, PS Seven Tombs, Tolichowki, Hyderabad and Mohd. Azharuddin Saif, resident of Mumtaj Manzil, 203, 2nd floor, Asif Nagar, Hyderabad.
Speaking to media, SP North Goa Akshit Kaushal informed that this fraudulent operation, was active since 2022, and they deceived tourists by listing non-existent properties for rent and collecting advance payments through multiple bank accounts.
“Goa Police had recently received several complaints regarding online fraud targeting tourists. Victims reported being duped by fake villa listings on platforms such as Booking.com, where they were asked to pay advances for non-existent properties. Initial investigations have revealed that over 500 individuals have fallen prey to this scam. Efforts are underway to contact the victims and formally record their complaints,” SP North stated
He further pointed out that the scam came to light following a complaint by one Pankaj Dhiman, a resident of Chandigarh, who was defrauded of ₹20,000 while attempting to book a property named Ruby Villa, Goa on Booking.com. Upon arriving at the location, he discovered that the villa did not exist. Following this complaint, an FIR U/s 318 (4) of BNS, 2023, was registered at Anjuna PS.
“During interrogation, the accused confessed to orchestrating the scam and revealed their modus operandi. They were Operating from a rented room in Hyderabad, they would field calls from potential victims and use female telephone operators to build trust. The perpetrators exploited vulnerabilities in booking platforms to create fraudulent listings for non-existent properties. They then collected advance payments through digital payment systems linked to multiple bank accounts,” he added