PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
The Special Task Force (STF) has taken action against cyber criminals who were cheating people in the name of helicopter bookings for the Char Dham Yatra. So far, the STF has blocked 180 fake social media links and taken action against 52 suspicious mobile numbers.
According to officials, many fraudsters were creating fake websites, Facebook pages and Instagram accounts, especially for Kedarnath helicopter bookings. These fake platforms were being used to lure pilgrims and dupe them of considerable sums of money. Many people had already become victims of such scams. To stop these crimes, the STF formed a special Social Media Monitoring and Action Team under the leadership of the STF senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh. The team is keeping a close watch on online platforms.
So far, the STF has blocked 180 fake social media links and taken action against 52 suspicious mobile numbers. It has also identified and shut down 10 fake websites that were being used for helicopter ticket bookings. The STF has also registered cases against several people involved in running these fake links and mobile numbers. Officials said that strict action will continue against such cyber criminals.
Singh has appealed to all pilgrims to book helicopter tickets only through the official website and not trust any unknown links or messages. He also advised people to report any cyber fraud immediately on the helpline number 1930. The SSP said that the STF is following a zero-tolerance policy against cyber crime and will continue monitoring to ensure a safe and secure Char Dham Yatra for all pilgrims.
