Tuesday, 02 May 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Many websites targetting people on pretext of booking chopper flights to shrines
Considering the recent increase in the complaints of scams being done across the country by fake websites on the pretext of booking a helicopter service to Char Dham shrines, Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has written to Google to take down such fake websites. The cyber police station of STF has already blocked 14 fake websites so far and is currently working on blocking 12 more such websites too, said the senior superintendent of police, Ayush Agrawal. The official booking of helicopter service for Char Dham Yatra started on April 8 on the official website of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) which is www.heliyatra.irctc.co.in.
The cyber crime team of STF has identified several fake websites offering helicopter services to Char Dham shrines most of which have been blocked by them in the past one month. The scammers have now upgraded themselves and started making fake websites appearing similar to the official IRCTC website to dupe more people across the country, said deputy superintendent of police of cyber crime police station, STF. He said that many lose lakhs of rupees in such cyber frauds in various parts of the country through such fake websites. He stated that rather than searching for random websites on Google to book heli services, one should visit the official website of IRCTC.
Since many people do not verify the authenticity of the websites they find on Google before booking helicopter service, they become more prone to be the victims of cyber fraud. “Considering this, the cyber crime team of STF has written to Google via the Home Ministry to take down such fake websites. We have also written to IRCTC to inform them of the same concern,” said the DSP. The SSP has also appealed to the public to provide information about such fake service providers including fake websites, web links and mobile numbers to STF. Such details can also be sent on mobile numbers- 9456591505 and 9412080875, said Mishra. He also urged the people to refrain from transferring money or providing bank details to any unknown person.
