Accommodation Scams in Amritsar

Guesthouse Pre-Arrival Deposit Request

Travelers who book budget guesthouses in Amritsar — particularly near the Golden Temple in streets like Katra Ahluwalia and the lanes around Town Hall — report receiving WhatsApp or call messages from guesthouse owners before arrival requesting an advance deposit via GPay or UPI. Some properties genuinely exist but use this to overbill; others are entirely fictitious, collecting the deposit and then claiming no booking exists on arrival. The tactic is documented specifically by travelers to Amritsar and has increased since 2022 as UPI payments became universal.