Priyanka Tiwari
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I4C has published a public notice about the increase in travel and religious pilgrimage scam scams perpetrated through the internet. The scammers specifically target domestic tourists, pilgrims, and other religious tourists.
What is being done?: Scams involving bogus sites and paid advertising.
As per MHA information, criminals are taking advantage of search engines, social media, and WhatsApp to create fake websites and advertisements that misrepresent their services. Other Telemarketing Scams Include:
- Char Dham Yatra and Kedarnath helicopter booking scams.
- Booking of hotels and guest houses not in existence.
- Fake cab and taxi services
- Misleading religious tour books.
These platforms are portrayed to be legitimate. In most cases, they use professionally designed websites where active WhatsApp accounts are setup to lure unsuspecting victims.
Public Advised To Exercise More Caution.
The Ministry has called on consumers to crosscheck the validity of the sites and service providers when making payments and for the supply of personal information. Additional care is required while booking online trips for religious or other high demand destinations.
How To Report Suspicious Booking Sites.
Consumers who come across suspicious activities or fake booking services are encouraged to report them through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: cybercrime.gov.in.
