Indian Travel Scams Part 4: The Delhi “Tourist Office” Exposé
This is the final part of our 4-part series on Indian travel scams.
It was meant to be a trilogy. We had our structure: street scams, booking traps, digital payment tricks. Then someone close to us landed in Delhi, got steered into a “government tourist office”, and walked out with a very expensive detour they never asked for.
Once we started digging, we realised their experience matched dozens of public reviews, videos and forum warnings about the very same pattern – and often the very same agency: Centre Tours and Travel in New Delhi.
So Part 4 became an exposé.
The Script: How Fake “Tourist Offices” Work in Delhi
If you arrive in Delhi tired and disoriented, you are basically the ideal customer.
Across public reviews and safety blogs, travellers describe almost identical scenes:
The “helper” at New Delhi station
A well-spoken man approaches you near New Delhi Railway Station or Connaught Place.
He warns you that the “government tourist office” has moved, is closed, or is no longer where your guidebook says.
He offers to “take you to the real one” and puts you in a tuk-tuk or taxi.
The office that looks official
The signboard uses government-ish language (“tourist information”, “department”, “ministry”).
There are framed certificates, logo stamps, maybe “Recognised by Ministry of Tourism” printed somewhere.
Staff talk confidently about “government rules” and “official rates”.
The bad news performance
In front of you, they call supposed contacts for trains, buses or hotels.
Outcome is mysteriously always terrible:
no trains for days
everything booked
destination flooded / too dangerous / dengue outbreak
The “only solution”
A multi-day package is pushed hard: private car, internal flights, hotels, maybe a houseboat.
You’re told to decide immediately and pay in full.
You walk out with a very expensive bundle – and little idea what any of it actually costs individually.
Later, when people finally get Wi-Fi and time to breathe, they check:
Trains were running.
Their original destination was not flooded or closed.
The same or better hotels are online for a fraction of what they paid.
This is the pattern that showed up around our friend’s trip – and around one specific Delhi agency again and again.
Case File: Centre Tours and Travel, New Delhi
If you look up “Centre Tours and Travel” on Tripadvisor, you’ll find a small but telling review history:
Rating: about 2.2 / 5
Reviews: 12 total
Ranking: in the bottom tier of tours & activities in New Delhi
The split is stark: a one glowing 5-star reviews from a fake account who enjoyed their trip, and a cluster of very detailed 1-star reviews describing what they themselves call “scam”, “tourist trap” and “fake tourist office”.
We’re not a court and we’re not passing legal judgement on any business. But when you see the same script over and over from different travellers, it’s worth paying attention.
“TOTAL SCAM – Run Away Fast”: A Recent Traveller’s Story
Front of the Agency
This isn’t abstract for us. In 2024, a female solo traveller we know personally was caught in exactly this pattern and later posted a Tripadvisor review titled “TOTAL SCAM – Run Away Fast” about Centre Tours and Travel in Delhi.
They had planned to go to Varanasi but were worried about reports of floods. At New Delhi Railway Station a well-dressed man approached, said he could help, and arranged a tuktuk to what he claimed was the government tourist information centre. Instead, they were taken to Centre Tours and Travel, where staff showed online “evidence” of serious flooding in Varanasi and dengue in Delhi, and insisted the only safe option was to scrap the original plan, fly to Kashmir the same day, and stay in accommodation arranged through the agency.
Once there, the reality felt very different from what had been promised: basic rooms, unreliable hot water, no Wi-Fi for more than 24 hours, and pre-packaged activities that later turned out to cost several times more than booking directly. They felt isolated, shuttled between guides who gave little explanation, and unable to easily check what they’d been told.
When they finally got online and compared prices and news, they realised they’d been heavily overcharged and that Varanasi was not flooded and no dengue outbreak was in progress at the time. In their own words, the experience was a “total rip off”, and their review warns other travellers in the strongest possible terms not to walk into the same trap.
That’s why, for us, this isn’t just another internet scare story – it’s someone’s real trip.
What Travellers Say Happened
Mr. Bashir. The man in this photo appears noticeably older now than he does here, according to our eyewitness.
The one-star reviews (including a solo trip in September 2024) describe variations of this story:
Being approached at New Delhi Railway Station and told they were being taken to the government tourist information centre.
Being driven instead to Centre Tours and Travel, sometimes described as “Mr Bashir’s tourist information centre”.
Being shown online “evidence” of:
severe flooding in Varanasi, or
dengue fever in Delhi, or
other dangers that supposedly made their original plan impossible.
Being pushed to abandon their own itinerary (e.g. a planned train to Varanasi) and instead:
fly to Kashmir that same day,
stay in accommodation linked to the agency or family, and
buy a bundle of tours and activities at rates they later realised were multiples of local prices.
Being isolated without reliable Wi-Fi for 24+ hours, making it hard to check reviews or get help.
Finding that guides spoke limited English and gave almost no explanation at sites.
Discovering later that:
Varanasi was not flooded,
no dengue outbreak was in progress, and
flights, hotels and activities would have been vastly cheaper booked independently.
Words that reviewers themselves use about the experience include:
“TOTAL SCAM – Run Away Fast”
“fake tourist office”
“total rip-off”
“liars and scammers”
Some longer reviews also mention: dangerous driving, repeated detours to high-commission shopping stops, and even men showing up later at a hostel demanding more money.
Other Warning Signals Around the Same Pattern
Centre Tours and Travel isn’t mentioned in isolation.
Tripadvisor forum threads from as far back as a decade ago feature travellers asking whether this company is trustworthy, with local experts replying that previous reports and reviews were “not good”.
Indian review site MouthShut hosts a page for Centre Tour & Travels – New Delhi, where users can rate and describe their experiences. It’s another public place you can check for recent comments before engaging.
Scam-awareness YouTuber Karl Rock has produced multiple videos and blog posts about fake tourist offices in Delhi – including specific warnings about New Delhi station touts steering people to bogus “departments” with government-ish names. He also shows where the real Ministry of Tourism office is, and stresses that it doesn’t sell packages or pressure you.
Karl Rock has also called out this exact outfit by name. In one of his Delhi scam videos he visits Centre Tours and Travel, shows how the fake “official office” script works in real time, and even describes Mr. Bashir trying to grab his camera when he films and challenges them.
How to Protect Yourself in Delhi (Especially Around Stations)
You don’t have to avoid Delhi. You do have to assume that anyone who intercepts you between the station and your hotel might be working on commission.
1. Treat all “helpers” at New Delhi station as salespeople
If someone appears and says “Government office moved, come with me”, assume they’re taking you to a private agency.
Always say you’ll go to your hotel first, drop your bags, and then decide.
If they insist it’s “too dangerous to walk”, that’s a classic scare line.
2. Verify the real government tourism office
Karl Rock and other sources publish the exact location and exterior photos of the official India Tourism (Ministry of Tourism) office in New Delhi. It: Karl Rock's Blog
Does not sell tour packages.
Does not demand upfront payment.
Mainly provides maps, advice and lists of accredited guides/operators.
If someone is selling you a multi-day tour and claiming to be “the government office”, they’re almost certainly not.
3. Slow down every “emergency” offer
Before you let anyone rewrite your entire itinerary because of floods, dengue, protests or “no trains”:
Check the Indian Railways or IRCTC app/website yourself for trains.
Look up your supposed “danger zone” on recent news and weather.
Search hotel prices and availability on major booking platforms.
If the office claims “nothing is available” and your phone shows multiple options, you have your answer.
4. Demand clarity on what you’re buying
If you are considering a package:
Get the exact hotel names, not “nice 3-star”.
Ask what’s included: car, driver, fuel, tolls, entry fees, activities, breakfasts.
Ask what’s not included: tips, extra drives, optional activities, boat rides, etc.
Take photos of the quote or write everything down.
Any operation that won’t let you take photos “for security reasons” or refuses to give you time to think should be treated as a flashing red sign.
Our Position & Why We’re Writing This
A few important things to be clear about:
We are not accusing any specific company of a criminal offence.
We are reporting on public traveller accounts (Tripadvisor, MouthShut, forums) and independent safety content (Karl Rock’s videos and blog).
Review platforms themselves state that these are subjective opinions, not verified facts.
But if we’d had this pattern in our heads before our friend landed at New Delhi station, they would almost certainly have made different choices.
That’s why this final part exists.
If You’re Reading This Before You Fly
Here’s the simple version to carry in your back pocket:
If anyone in Delhi tells you the “government office moved” and rushes you into a car – you’re not being rescued, you’re being sold to.
Walk to your hotel. Check things on your own phone. Visit the real government office if you want official info. And if you do choose a private agency, do it because you picked them after reading recent reviews – not because you were tired, scared and ambushed.
That one decision can be the difference between your dream India story and a trip you later title “TOTAL SCAM – Run Away Fast.”
Our Sources:
Sources & Further Reading
Tripadvisor – Centre Tours and Travel
Centre Tours and Travel – attraction listing (reviews & rating)
Tripadvisor – New Delhi
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g304551-d15843629-Reviews-Centre_Tours_and_Travel-New_Delhi_National_Capital_Territory_of_Delhi.html“TOTAL SCAM – Run Away Fast” – user review of Centre Tours and Travel
Tripadvisor – New Delhi
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g304551-d15843629-r976384154-Centre_Tours_and_Travel-New_Delhi_National_Capital_Territory_of_Delhi.html“scam!!” – user review of Centre Tours and Travel
Tripadvisor – New Delhi
https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304551-d15843629-r983325502-Centre_Tours_and_Travel-New_Delhi_National_Capital_Territory_of_Delhi.html
Karl Rock – Scam Awareness & Official Office Info
“Location of the REAL Government Tourism Office, New Delhi” – Karl Rock
Karl Rock’s Blog
https://blog.karlrock.com/location-real-government-tourism-office-new-delhi/India Scammers & Travel Safety – YouTube playlist
Karl Rock
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMhislZnB_6dUyfMSQE6whAkmvvfdPuFWIndia Rickshaw Scams Exposed & How to Get the Best Price
Karl Rock’s Blog
https://blog.karlrock.com/india-rickshaw-scams-exposed-how-to-get-best-price-video/New Delhi scam posts & related articles (tag archive)
Karl Rock’s Blog – “New Delhi” tag
https://blog.karlrock.com/tag/new-delhi/
Other References
Centre Tour & Travels – New Delhi – user reviews
MouthShut
https://www.mouthshut.com/product-reviews/centre-tour-travels-new-delhi-reviews-925736388“Dear Ministry of Tourism, Delhi is infected with scam tourist offices…”
Karl Rock – Facebook post
https://www.facebook.com/iamkarlrock/posts/1841852045956950/