Sikkim: German tourist duped in online helicopter booking scam

A German tourist visiting Sikkim was caught in an online scam involving a fake helicopter booking service. Mark, the tourist, wanted to avoid difficult road travel caused by frequent road closures and looked for an easier way to return. 

Unfortunately, he fell victim to a fraudulent website claiming to offer helicopter services under the name of the well-known operator "Pawan Hans."

According to Mark, he found a website advertising helicopter rides and contacted a person named Rajesh Kumar Sharma, whose phone number was listed on the site. Without much time to verify, Mark booked a helicopter ride and paid Rs. 5,800. Soon after, he was asked to pay an additional Rs. 3,900 as an "assurance fee."

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Suspecting foul play due to repeated payment demands and a lack of booking confirmation, Mark realised he had been scammed. He reported the incident to the local police station.

Mark expressed his deep disappointment over the fraud and warned other tourists to be careful when booking services online. He urged visitors to verify all bookings through official government portals or trusted travel agents to avoid falling prey to similar scams.