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The Kerala Travel Mart Society (KTMS), a major tourism industry body in the state, has issued a sharp warning to both domestic and international tourists: don’t fall for slick hotel-booking fraud online. As Kerala’s tourist season ramps up, KTMS says fraudsters are impersonating genuine hotel staff and demanding advance payments — sometimes after a booking is already made.
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How the Scam Works: Fake IDs, QR Codes & Phoney Upgrades
According to KTMS, the scammers are highly sophisticated. They’re calling or texting guests who’ve already booked rooms through legitimate third-party sites. Then they push for extra payment via QR codes or shady links, threatening to cancel the reservation if the victim doesn’t pay. In some cases, they offer “upgraded” rooms as bait. What makes it convincing: these fraudsters even carry fake hotel employee IDs. Several tourists have reported losing large sums after trusting these impersonators.
What Tourists Should Do to Stay Safe
KTMS strongly advises travellers not to blindly trust payment links received over WhatsApp or messaging apps. Instead, check with the hotel directly — call the number listed on the hotel’s official website to confirm any additional payment request. Don’t rely on QR codes sent by strangers. If anything feels off — like someone pushing for a last-minute upsell or pressing you to pay extra — pull back and verify. KTMS is also urging its member hotels to step up their digital security, monitor their booking confirmations and warn guests about possible impersonation.
