As many as 136 pretend web sites providing helicopter journey reserving for Char Dham yatra have been shut down within the final 5 months this 12 months, police officers stated.
In 2024, 4.8 million pilgrims visited Char Dham shrines and Hemkund Sahib shrine. (Sourced from Kailash Mansarovar web site)
117 cell numbers, 35 WhatsApp numbers have additionally been blocked, whereas 61 financial institution accounts have been frozen in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Residence Affairs.
In 2024, 18 such pretend web sites have been shut, 45 Fb pages have been blocked, and 20 financial institution accounts have been frozen whereas in 2023, 64 pretend web sites providing chopper service to Char Dham yatris have been blocked.
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“We are witnessing a shift in the tactics of cybercriminals,” stated senior superintendent of police (STF) Navneet Singh Bhullar.
“Earlier, scammers operated through fake websites. Now, they are leveraging Facebook and Instagram pages, using ad boosts to promote fraudulent helicopter booking links and deceive users”, Bhullar stated.
“To address this threat, deputy inspector general (Law & Order), Dhirendra Gunjyal, has been appointed as the nodal officer for Meta under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. Under his supervision, legal notices are being sent to Meta to remove misleading content and ads related to these fake helicopter bookings”, he stated.
“We are monitoring the cases on a daily basis. Notices are being issued to the concerned social media platforms through the nodal officer. We are also actively coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs, bank administrators, and telecom service providers for blocking fraudulent phone numbers”, he added.
In line with police, the foremost purpose for such cybercrime is that victims had no details about the genuine web site for helicopter service reserving.
DSP Ankush Mishra of cyber cell stated, “They (fraudsters) are exploiting search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to make their fake websites appear at the top of search results when pilgrims search for booking sites. As a result, those who are unaware of the authentic Char Dham chopper booking websites fall into their trap, click on these links, and unknowingly enter their financial details to make payments. These fraudsters are operating from various parts of the country, including Bihar, Jharkhand, and Haryana,” he stated.
“The only way to curb such cybercrime is spreading awareness among the public. The booking for the Char Dham chopper service should only be made through IRCTC’s website www.heli yatra.irctc.co.in,” Mishra stated.