{"id":2203,"date":"2026-02-04T13:49:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T13:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lazyatra.com\/blog\/?p=2203"},"modified":"2026-03-26T10:53:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T10:53:11","slug":"hotel-booking-scams-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lazyatra.com\/blog\/meghalaya\/hotel-booking-scams-india\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Avoid Hotel Booking Scams in India?"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Avoid Hotel Booking Scams in India (A Real Incident We Faced While Travelling)<\/h1>\n

Hotel booking scams don\u2019t happen because travellers are careless. They happen when you are tired, short on time, and trying to make a quick decision<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This is a real incident that happened to us during a trip. While the setting was Assam\u2013Meghalaya, the pattern is common across India and even abroad<\/strong>. We avoided losing money not because we were exceptionally smart\u2014but because something felt off at the right moment.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s exactly what happened.<\/p>\n

How the Situation Started<\/h2>\n

We were travelling from Dawki towards Guwahati<\/strong>, and by the time we crossed Jowai, it was already around 6:30\u20137:00 PM<\/strong>. We hadn\u2019t had lunch, and reaching Guwahati would have taken another four hours<\/strong>, meaning arrival close to 10 PM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

We didn\u2019t want that.<\/p>\n

So we decided to halt near Umiam Lake<\/strong> and continue the journey the next day. At that point, all we wanted was:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • A decent place to stay<\/li>\n
  • Quick confirmation<\/li>\n
  • Minimal effort<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The Google Search That Almost Cost Us Money<\/h2>\n

    I searched directly on Google for a hotel near Umiam Lake. The property we were looking for appeared immediately, and the phone number was visible right on the listing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    No website click.
    No comparison.
    Just copy\u2013paste and call.<\/p>\n

    At that moment, it felt convenient. In hindsight, that was the first mistake.<\/p>\n

    The Conversation That Felt \u201cToo Easy\u201d<\/h2>\n

    The person who answered spoke confidently, like a hotel representative or travel agent.<\/p>\n

    What stood out:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Room rates were shared on WhatsApp within five minutes<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Negotiation was smooth and instant<\/li>\n
    • Discounts were offered without hesitation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Initially, I was quoted \u20b93,800<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      Out of curiosity, my wife called from her number\u2014and suddenly the same room<\/strong> was available for \u20b93,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      It felt strange, but we were driving, tired, and just wanted to reach the destination.<\/p>\n

      The First Red Flag: Too Many Follow-Ups<\/h2>\n

      Once we stopped responding immediately, the calls started.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Repeated calls<\/li>\n
      • Continuous WhatsApp messages<\/li>\n
      • Pressure to \u201cconfirm now\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Normally, hotel reception staff do not chase guests<\/strong> after sharing rates. Usually, guests call back to confirm.<\/p>\n

        Here, the urgency was coming entirely from his side.<\/p>\n

        That didn\u2019t sit right.<\/p>\n

        The Biggest Red Flag: Changing Payment QR Codes<\/h2>\n

        When payment came up, things escalated quickly. First, he insisted on full payment upfront<\/strong>, claiming: \u201cWithout payment, you won\u2019t even get entry into the hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

        That sounded unusual.<\/p>\n

        Then:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • He sent one QR code<\/li>\n
        • Then another<\/li>\n
        • Then another<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          In total, four to five different QR codes<\/strong> were shared within a short time.<\/p>\n

          Each time we questioned it, a new scanner appeared.<\/p>\n

          At this point, we decided:<\/p>\n

          \u201cLet\u2019s reach the hotel first and then pay.\u201d<\/p>\n

          Luckily, by then we were already very close to the property<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

          What Actually Happened at the Hotel<\/h2>\n

          Once we reached the hotel, we went straight to the reception and explained the situation.<\/p>\n

          Their response was immediate:<\/p>\n

          \"Orchid
          Orchid Lake Resort, Umium Lake, Shillong<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
            \n
          • \u201cGood that you didn\u2019t pay.\u201d<\/li>\n
          • \u201cThat person is a scammer.\u201d<\/li>\n
          • \u201cWe don\u2019t have the rooms he promised.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            In fact:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Only the highest category room<\/strong> was available<\/li>\n
            • Everything else was sold out<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              The person we were dealing with had no connection with the hotel at all<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

              After that:<\/p>\n

                \n
              • He stopped taking calls<\/li>\n
              • He blocked my wife\u2019s number<\/li>\n
              • He disappeared completely<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Why We Did NOT Pay (Honestly Speaking)<\/h2>\n

                We didn\u2019t avoid the scam because we were exceptionally cautious. We avoided it because:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • We were already close to the hotel<\/li>\n
                • His urgency felt unnatural<\/li>\n
                • The payment details kept changing<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Had we been two or three hours away<\/strong>, we might have paid just to \u201csecure the room\u201d.<\/p>\n

                  How You Can Protect Yourself from Similar Hotel Booking Scams<\/h2>\n

                  Based purely on this experience, here\u2019s what actually matters:<\/p>\n

                  \ud83d\udea9 Red Flags to Watch For<\/h3>\n
                    \n
                  • Repeated follow-ups and pressure to pay<\/li>\n
                  • Claims that entry is not allowed without advance payment<\/li>\n
                  • Deals that are far cheaper<\/strong> than OTA prices<\/li>\n
                  • Changing QR codes or payment details<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    \u2705 What Works Better<\/h3>\n
                      \n
                    • Never call numbers directly from Google listings without verification<\/li>\n
                    • Always cross-check using the official website<\/strong><\/li>\n
                    • Be suspicious if the price difference is extreme<\/li>\n
                    • If you\u2019re close to the hotel, reach first and pay later<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n

                      This scam almost worked\u2014not because it was sophisticated, but because it targeted the exact moment when we were:<\/p>\n

                        \n
                      • Tired<\/li>\n
                      • Hungry<\/li>\n
                      • Short on time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        That\u2019s when most people lower their guard.<\/p>\n

                          \n
                        • Trust your instincts.<\/li>\n
                        • Urgency is the biggest red flag.<\/li>\n
                        • And never save a couple of clicks at the cost of verification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          If this blog helps even one traveller avoid losing money, it has served its purpose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                          We almost fell for a hotel booking scam while travelling, not because we were careless, but because we were tired, short on time, and trying to make a quick decision. This blog shares exactly what happened, the red flags we noticed, and how you can avoid similar hotel booking scams anywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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