Check website, avoid unknown links: MHA advisory on scams targeting pilgrims, tourists

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the ministry of home affairs, has issued an alert about online booking frauds, particularly those targeting religious pilgrims and tourists across the country.

The I4C said these frauds are perpetrated through fake websites, deceptive social media pages, Facebook posts, and paid advertisements on search engines like Google.

These scams involve the creation of professional-looking websites, social media profiles, and WhatsApp accounts.

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MHA advisory on how to stay safe from scams

These scams usually offer services such as helicopter booking for Kedarnath, Chaar Dhaam; guest house and hotel booking for pilgrims; online cab/taxi service bookings and holiday packages and religious tours.

“Unsuspecting individuals, upon making payments through these portals, often realise they have been duped when no confirmation or service is received, and the contact numbers go unreachable,” the I4C said in a release.

The agency has advised the public to always verify the authenticity of websites before making any payments, verify before clicking on “sponsored” or unknown links on Google, Facebook, or WhatsApp and cross-check bookings only through official government portals or trusted travel agencies.

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It has also urged the public to report such websites immediately at the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 in case of any fraud.

Helicopter bookings for Kedarnath can be done via heliyatra.irctc.co.in, Somnath Trust's official website is somnath.org that can be also used for guest house bookings.

The I4C added that it is taking a multi-pronged strategy to contain these scams, including identifying cybercrime hotspots across the countries.

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“Fake websites/advertisement and impersonating social media accounts access are being disabled on to protect citizens. Suspect checking and reporting feature on National Cybercrime Reporting Portal is developed to facilitate hassle free reporting,” it added.