Police have uncovered a major travel booking fraud in which 13 people were cheated of ₹78.71 lakh after being promised discounted tour packages and air tickets. An FIR has been registered against 2 accused, Satyam Shukla and Harshit Shukla, and a detailed investigation is underway.
The case came to light after a complaint by Pawan Kumar Singh, a resident of Shaktikhand 4 in Indirapuram, along with other affected customers. According to the complaint, the accused posed as authorised agents of a well known travel company and collected large sums for domestic and international travel bookings.
Investigators said the accused lured victims with heavy discounts on flight tickets and tour packages. They also assured customers that any cancelled booking would receive a full refund without deductions along with additional commission.
Police said the accused introduced themselves as residents of Mahagun Mywoods in Noida and contacted potential customers through social networks and personal connections. Initial bookings were made for destinations such as Bali, Dubai and Thailand.
Later, the accused allegedly cancelled the tickets and claimed a new offer under which the full amount would be refunded with an extra commission of 10 to 15 percent. This assurance helped them extend the fraud.
Soon, victims stopped receiving tickets or refunds. The accused also targeted salaried professionals with discounted tour packages for Mumbai, Goa, Kashmir, Assam and multiple locations in South India.
After repeated demands, the victims confronted the accused. On November 14, 2025, a written settlement agreement was signed at a flat in Noida, and cheques were issued to repay the money.
When the cheques were deposited, all were dishonoured, prompting the victims to file collective complaints with the police.
Preliminary checks revealed that both accused were involved in earlier cheating cases and had previously served jail terms. Police said initial evidence supports the allegations and efforts are ongoing to trace and arrest them.
Investigators stated that the accused targeted mostly strangers from business circles by promising high returns and risk free refunds. Once payments were made, bookings were cancelled on false grounds and victims were pacified with promises of refunds and commissions that never arrived.
Experts from a crime research body have warned that travel and ticket bookings frauds are rising, with fraudsters using high discounts and zero risk refund claims to gain trust. Police have urged citizens to verify agents and report suspicious offers immediately.
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