KURNOOL: Devotees faced serious inconvenience in Srisailam on Sunday due to a fake website posing as AP Tourism’s Haritha Hotel. Cyber fraudsters have reportedly been operating the fake site for the past year, cheating unsuspecting visitors.
A tourist from Bengaluru booked a room and darshan through the bogus website after speaking to its operator over the phone. He paid ₹15,950 through PhonePe and even received a booking receipt. Assuming it was legitimate, he arrived in Srisailam on Sunday.
However, when he approached the Haritha Hotel, staff informed him that the receipt was fake and that no booking had been made through the official AP Tourism portal. With Sunday’s heavy rush and no rooms available, the tourist faced severe distress and inconvenience.
Several other devotees also struggled amid the large crowds, spending long hours trying to verify bookings and search for accommodation.
Haritha hotel manager Pawan said they had lodged a written complaint with Srisailam police in February about the fake website. He advised devotees to remain cautious and use only the official AP Tourism website for bookings.