136 fake portals offering Char Dham chopper service shut in last 5 months: Official

Hindustan Times

5 days ago

As many as 136 fake websites offering helicopter ride booking for Char Dham yatra were shut down in the last five months this year, police officials said.
117 mobile numbers, 35 WhatsApp numbers have also been blocked, while 61 bank accounts have been frozen in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs.
In 2024, 18 such fake websites were shut, 45 Facebook pages were blocked, and 20 bank accounts were frozen while in 2023, 64 fake websites offering chopper service to Char Dham yatris were blocked.
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'We are witnessing a shift in the tactics of cybercriminals,' said 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 said.
'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 said.
'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.
According to police, the major reason for such cybercrime is that victims had no information about the authentic website for helicopter service booking.
DSP Ankush Mishra of cyber cell said, '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 said.
'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 said.