I don’t usually post on LinkedIn. But maybe this is the start of my de-influencing journey.
Recently, I used Atlys to apply for a Sri Lanka visa (ETA) for two people. The platform looked trustworthy with its clean design, great branding, and tons of influencer endorsements.
I assumed I can just get my VISA and avoid the homework before I go to my usual travel agent.
What I found after using the platform:
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka only requires a simple ETA for Indian passport holders. It’s a 5-minute job on the official site with no agent needed. I paid ₹1000/person (₹2000 total) without knowing this. The platform never clarified it was a DIY task. I get it that the company has to make profits but not this way I believe.
🧾 The site said “Sri Lanka visa requires insurance”. Not mandatory, but worded just enough to create urgency.
It’s a classic dark pattern — nudging users into thinking they’ll be blocked without it.
There were no details on what policy I was buying or what it covered. Only post-payment did I get a random Care Plus insurance policy I didn’t want or need.
Another ₹2000 gone.
🧠 Later, I decided to read some reviews (should’ve done this before buying) — and came across a bunch of revealing posts.
👉 I’ve shared a few of them in the comments 👇 in case it helps someone else do their due diligence before blindly trusting the marketing story.
⭐️ After rating the experience 1-star on the platform, here’s the message I got:
“We’re sorry to hear that your experience with Atlys didn’t meet your expectations. We will strive to do better.”
🧍🏽 No escalation. No recourse. Just vibes.
I ended up paying ₹4000 for something that could’ve been done for ~₹1000 and 10 min of my labour.
It’s not about the money — it’s about how misleading design and nudges quietly drive revenue while hurting trust.
Atlys has nailed performance marketing. But if the product doesn’t match the promise, even the best UX won’t save the experience.
This is a gentle nudge to fellow travelers and product builders:
👉 Trust is hard to earn — and very easy to lose.
This post was originally shared by on Linkedin.