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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tatkal ticket scam: IRCTC deactivates 2.5 crore fake IDs in major crackdown
In a significant move to combat fraudulent activities, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has deactivated approximately 2.5 crore fake user IDs. This action follows an investigation into the rapid disappearance of Tatkal tickets, which revealed a large-scale misuse of the booking system by agents and bots. People have been complaining about this for quite some time, and have addressed their concerns on social media too. The scam Between January and May 2025, IRCTC identified around 2.9 lakh suspicious Passenger Name Records (PNRs) generated within just five minutes of the Tatkal booking window opening. These bookings were traced back to fake accounts created using disposable email addresses, enabling agents to hoard tickets and sell them at inflated prices. Read more: 10 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India and the animals they're famous for Since tickets are frequently sold out seconds after the booking window opens, legitimate passengers have been negatively impacted by the abuse of the Tatkal system. 73% of users were waitlisted in the first minute, according to a poll, which made many of them rely on agents to get confirmed tickets. IRCTC's response In response to the scam, IRCTC has implemented several measures: Deactivation of fake IDs : Approximately 2.5 crore fake user IDs have been deactivated, and an additional 20 lakh accounts are under review. Blocking disposable email domains : Over 6,800 disposable email domains used to create fake accounts have been blocked. Cybercrime complaints : IRCTC has filed 134 complaints with the National Cyber Crime Portal to address the issue legally. Technological advancements : To ensure a more equitable booking procedure, anti-bot software and collaborations with content delivery networks have been implemented to differentiate between automated scripts and human users. Read more: 6 most versatile Indian states that offer more variety than Europe Despite the fact that these steps have purportedly led to some advances, there is still a long way to go. According to sources, on May 22, 2025, a record 31,814 tickets were booked in a single minute, however issues still exist. The attempt-to-booking success ratio rose from 43.1% to 62.2% between October 2024 and May 2025. IRCTC continues to work towards enhancing the booking experience for genuine passengers, aiming to restore trust in the Tatkal system and ensure equitable access to train reservations. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Time of India
Teen held for duping Kol cancer patient of Rs 49L
Rourkela: A 19-year-old Rourkela boy has been arrested for allegedly duping an elderly cancer patient in Kolkata of Rs 49 lakh through digital arrest fraud, while his elder brother, complicit in the crime, remains at large, police said Monday. The accused, Chandra Prakash Tulsyan, and his brother, Shibam Tulsyan (25), contacted Mala Goswami (73), a retired govt employee, on Feb 14. They claimed a suspicious parcel containing her identification documents and foreign currency had been intercepted, demanding Rs 49 lakh to prevent legal action, putting her in "digital arrest". Goswami, who lives alone and was recovering from chemotherapy, transferred the amount via RTGS under duress. The fraudsters then imposed a week-long "digital house arrest", threatening her against leaving her residence until Feb 20. The scam came to light when Goswami's son, based in Bengaluru, grew concerned about his mother's confined status and alerted neighbours. Following complaints filed with the National Cyber Crime Portal and New Alipore police in Kolkata, an investigation was launched on April 11. A five-member police team from New Alipore, collaborating with their Uditnagar counterparts, arrested Chandra Prakash, a BCom student, from here on May 3. "We provided necessary assistance to Kolkata Police team in apprehending the accused," said D Lakra, inspector in-charge, Uditnagar police station. While the accused was granted bail the same day, the court has restricted his movements to the New Alipore police station area for two months and mandated daily evening reporting. Meanwhile, his brother Shibam, a CA aspirant, is on the run. Police have frozen bank accounts of the brothers and continue their search for Shibam.
Hindustan Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh doctor, wife lose ₹1.4 crore to elaborate investment scam
Offering lucrative returns by posing as representatives of an investment banking firm, cyber criminals defrauded a city-based doctor and his wife of ₹1.4 crore through an elaborate conspiracy. The complainant, Dr Anupam Lal, a resident of Sector 24-B, alleged that a highly trained group of scammers posed as officials of JM Financial Services, and lured him and his wife into investing in fake Portfolio Management Services (PMS) accounts through counterfeit websites. The accused operated a WhatsApp group named 'W6 Stock Uptrend Club', managed by different individuals. Convincing users that they were investing with JM Financial, they asked them to transfer funds into various accounts, many of which were found to be linked to shell firms. According to the FIR, Dr Lal and his wife transferred funds to at least 18 different bank accounts between August and September 2024, with transactions ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹24.5 lakh, resulting in a total loss of ₹1.4 crore. Initially, the fraudsters returned small profits to win the victims' trust, but later blocked withdrawal access. When Dr Lal tried to recover his money, the accused went off the grid. Dr Lal filed a complaint on the National Cyber Crime Portal on October 11, 2024, and a comprehensive written complaint to Chandigarh Police. Following a preliminary inquiry, now an FIR under Sections 319 (2), 318 (4), 336 (3), 338, 340 (2), 61 (2) and 111 (2)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been lodged. The matter is under investigation.
