Vadodara, Sep 14 : A woman travel operator was duped of over Rs 1.95 crore in Gujarat's Vadodara on the pretext of arranging travel packages to Dubai and Vietnam, Cyber Crime Police officials said.

The complainant, Kavita Rachchh, a resident of the Kalali area and associated with the travel business, alleged that the fraudsters first gained her trust by completing earlier bookings and even paying her commission.

According to the complaint, Rachchh received an email from a person claiming to represent "STH Journey Solution Pvt. Ltd" on March 5, under the name of Innatosh Holiday. Initially, bookings for flights and hotels went through smoothly, with commissions paid on time. Later, on May 5, the accused offered a Dubai package worth Rs 85,500 for a group of 30 people, which was later expanded to 64 travellers.

Additionally, a Diwali package to Vietnam worth Rs 91,500 was booked for a Rajkot-based group. However, the tickets provided turned out to be bogus. While the Dubai package included fake flight tickets, the Vietnam package had no promised facilities or return tickets.

Rachchh stated that she transferred Rs 80.36 lakh through bank accounts, Rs 10.51 lakh via online transactions, and Rs 1.04 crore through the traditional Angadia courier system - amounting to a total of Rs 1.95 crore. Police said the accused lured the operator into repeated transactions via email and WhatsApp before disappearing.

Based on the complaint, a case has been registered against unidentified persons under charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and provisions of the Information Technology Act.

Meanwhile, in Gujarat, visa fraud cases continue to surface with rackets duping aspiring migrants on the promise of overseas jobs, education, or travel.

Agents lure victims with offers of lucrative opportunities in the US, Canada, and Europe, often charging lakhs of rupees for forged documents, fake invitations, and bogus tickets. Several cases have involved the use of student visas or tourist visas as cover for illegal immigration, while others have seen victims stranded abroad without support.

Police say such scams thrive on the desperation of families seeking better prospects, with investigations regularly leading to arrests of agents operating in Ahmedabad, Anand, and North Gujarat.

/IANS