Hotel Fortune Select on Cunningham Crescent Road, in a complaint to the High Grounds Police has stated that on November 29 last, one Tylon Palmu (24) of Broadgate, Coventry, United Kingdom, had booked a room in the hotel for 15 nights from March 30 to April 14, via e-mail (tyrone.palmers@yahoo.com).

As advance payment, he submitted a credit card authorisation letter (371703850803016) and asked the hotel to deduct US$11,500 from it. Out of the amount, he instructed the hotel to transfer US$ 7,500 (Rs 3,20,260) to Global Creations, a travel agency in Mumbai.

Accordingly, the hotel sent a cheque for the said sum drawn on ING Vysya Bank, Infantry Road branch, on December 14 as the travel agency did not have a credit card swiping machine. A day later, the American Express Banking Corporation informed the hotel that the said credit card belonged to one Cherie Lapelura and was not registered with it.

The demand by the stunned hotel authorities for refund of the money remained unanswered. Their efforts to trace the travel agency in Mumbai also didn't materialise.
According to sources, Tylon Palmu is not the real name of the fraudster and it is also unclear whether he is a British national. A case has been registered.