A sports enthusiast was duped of around Rs 2.5 lakh by a website through which he booked tickets to travel to China to watch the Beijing Olympics.

The victim had come across a website which claimed to arrange travel tickets for those, who were keen to watch the Olympics.

The complainant paid around Rs 2.5 lakh to procure the tickets but only to find that he had been duped.

"We are investigating the case and are trying to trace the persons behind running the website", Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said.

The commissioner warned sports enthusiasts to be wary of 'fly-by-night' tour operators and to verify the credentials of those with whom they deal.

He urged people to book tickets through reputed travel agencies or through those whose credentials had been verified.