Mumbai Cybercrime: Booking a Bangkok-Pattaya Trip Turns Costly for a Retired Police Officer’s Son and Daughter-in-Law

A retired police officer's son and daughter-in-law ended up paying a heavy price for booking a Bangkok-Pattaya trip. She was cheated out of Rs 1.6 lakh after booking hotel accommodations and flight tickets through a fake website. The incident came to light on May 17. Ambadas Pote, a 69-year-old retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, said that his son and daughter-in-law had booked a trip to Bangkok and Pattaya. They received only a legitimate outbound flight ticket from India. However, upon arriving in Bangkok, they discovered that there was no reservation under their name at the hotel. Their return flight tickets also turned out to be fake.

As a result, the couple had to make their own arrangements for accommodation and return travel using their own funds. Pote’s daughter-in-law has filed a complaint at the MHB Police Station in Borivali. The police have registered a case against the accused, Akhilesh Singh, and have begun an investigation.

In her complaint to the police, the victim stated that they came across a travel company online, which was offering an attractive package to Bangkok. The package costs Rs 2 lakh for four people. They chose this travel agency based on the offer. Pote further mentioned in the complaint: "On April 7, we transferred Rs 88,000 for flight tickets, and on April 21, Rs 1.12 lakh for hotel booking. The agency sent a booking confirmation on WhatsApp for ‘Pullman Pattaya Hotel’ in Bangkok. But when we arrived at the hotel on May 17, we were informed that no reservation existed under our name."

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According to the police, the hotel booking and return flight tickets were initially booked but were later canceled. The complaint also mentions that the phone of the travel agency's owner is now switched off, and he is unreachable. The couple had to manage their own stay and return arrangements. It was at that point that they suspected they had been victims of cyber fraud.

This incident highlights the alarming rise in cybercrime. It clearly shows the dangers of trusting any information found online without verifying it first. Police have urged the public not to trust unknown websites or individuals and to be especially cautious when making online payments.