Almost half of Indian travellers (47%) have been victims of online scams despite increased awareness, with 19% losing more than ₹40,000 per scam, as per McAfee’s India Safer Summer Travel Research. The results point to increasing concerns as 82% of sports fans experience fear of ticket scams during high-profile events such as IPL.
The research identifies scammers taking advantage of bargain-hunting habits through:
- Fake payment portals (19% victims)
- Non-existent rental listings (21%)
- Stolen QR boarding passes (10%)
- AI-altered property images (18%)
Youth travellers (25-34 years) are the most at-risk group, with 31% confessing to clicking on malicious confirmation links. The study identifies specific dangers during event travel, as 57% of IPL fans in this age range reported being exposed to fake ticket vendors.
“Scammers are exploiting travellers’ desperation for bargains,” said Pratim Mukherjee, McAfee’s Senior Director of Engineering. Deceptive listings now incorporate AI-generated images, and phishing links resemble genuine booking confirmations.
Vulnerabilities Most Frequently Experienced:
- Deposit Scams: 18% prepaid for tours that either did not meet descriptions or never occurred
- Identity Theft: 12% had passports/IDs stolen while traveling
- Wi-Fi Attacks: 11% suffered bank account hacking via insecure networks
The report comes as India’s busiest travel season, when 46% search for room deals and 40% look for cheap excursions. Interestingly, 60% of respondents say they’ll implement strengthened verification practices, although 23% are not sure about the methods of detecting scams.
Security experts point to three new threat vectors:
- Deepfake videos of rental properties
- Imposter customer service chatbots
- QR code manipulation at transport hubs
McAfee recommends reverse image searches for property listings and VPN use on public networks. The findings underscore a paradox: while 86% research scams pre-travel, 51% still encounter fraud during trips, suggesting scammers are outpacing consumer education efforts.
With India’s internal tourism market set to reach more than $150 billion in 2025, the research warns that economic losses due to travel scams could increase proportionally unless detection technology advances. Industry observers point to specific vulnerabilities for last-minute bookers and those paying through social media marketplaces.