Rail passengers have been warned about a fake train ticket booking website after a college student hoping to return home for the New Year was duped of 951 yuan ($150), chinanews.com reported Wednesday.

The woman surnamed Zeng, who studies at a college in Xiangtan, Central China's Hunan province, used an online search engine to find a booking website to buy a train ticket to Beijing.

Zeng called a hotline and was told only two tickets remained available. She immediately transferred 353 yuan via online banking.

Minutes later, Zeng was telephoned and asked to activate a card at an ATM using the code 0598. She discovered another 598 yuan had been taken from her account. Her calls to the hotline went unanswered.

Local railway police have begun an investigation and warned passengers that www.12306.cn is the only authorized website providing train ticket online.