Warning: Hotel booking fraud hits Mayapur in pilgrim season

Hotel booking fraud hits Mayapur in pilgrim season

As the pilgrim season peaks, ISKCON Mayapur has issued a serious warning regarding a coordinated online accommodation scam targeting devotees. Fraudsters have created convincing fake websites and WhatsApp channels mimicking official ISKCON facilities—such as Prabhupad Village, Gada Bhavan, and Gita Bhavan—to swindle visitors out of their money. In response to these incidents, which have left many families stranded upon arrival with invalid reservations, ISKCON authorities have lodged an FIR and are urging the community to exercise extreme caution.

To avoid falling victim to these scams, devotees are reminded that www.visitmayapur.com is the only official platform for booking accommodation in Mayapur. Authorities warn that any bookings made through other third-party sites, agents, or direct transfers to unverified numbers are unauthorized and unsafe.

ISKCON Mayapur Files FIR Against Fake Booking Portals Targeting Pilgrims

ISKCON Mayapur has officially lodged an FIR following a surge in sophisticated online scams where fraudsters have created convincing fake websites and WhatsApp channels to mimic the temple’s accommodation booking system. These deceptive platforms have defrauded numerous devotees by collecting payments for non-existent reservations at popular guest houses such as Prabhupad Village and Gada Bhavan.

Temple authorities have issued a high-level alert, urging pilgrims to avoid third-party agents and unverified “discount” offers. Officials emphasized that legitimate staff will never pressure visitors for urgent payments via unofficial links and advised that all bookings must be verified through the authorized domain to avoid financial loss.