Criminal Gang Operates Deceptive Tirumala Temple and Resort Reservation Sites, Swindling Tourists
The problem of fraudulent tourism and temple booking portals in India has come under the spotlight, with multiple recent cases across 18 states revealing a widespread and severe issue. These scams exploit loopholes in online systems, clone official websites, and use fake QR codes or payment links to deceive devotees, leading to significant monetary losses.
In a significant development, a pan-India gang from Rajasthan has been arrested by the Bapatla district police in Andhra Pradesh. The gang, responsible for creating fraudulent websites that mimicked popular tourism and temple booking portals, preyed on tourists and devotees who were unknowingly booking rooms and services through these fake sites and transferring money online.
The investigation began after a complaint was filed by G Ashok, manager of Haritha Resorts at Bapatla Suryalanka, about a fake website, "Harith Beach Resort Suryalanka". Bapatla Superintendent of Police Tushar Dudi led the investigation, and the police formed two special teams, one for investigation and another for technical analysis, to track down the fraudsters.
The gang defrauded victims of nearly Rs 50 lakh. The highest number of victims was reported in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. The gang created fake websites resembling the official portals of Haritha Resorts in Suryalanka and several prominent temples, including Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam and Srisailam.
Among the arrested are Paramjeet, 20, and Bittu, 21, both from Rajasthan's Deeg district. A mobile phone and two SIM cards were seized from one of the accused. The local court gave the police two-day custody of the accused.
The arrested gang is not an isolated case. In Maharashtra, fraudsters exploited the lack of identity verification in online temple darshan pass systems by mass booking passes and reselling them at inflated prices. A retired Army officer in Pune lost Rs 5.6 lakh trying to register for puja at a Jharkhand temple through fraudulent online portals.
To combat widespread fraud in related online booking portals, Indian Railways deactivated 2.5 crore suspicious IRCTC user IDs and made Aadhaar mandatory for Tatkal train bookings to prevent automated and bulk bookings, showing systemic interventions against online booking frauds.
Authorities are increasingly recognizing the threat and are initiating reforms like Aadhaar-based authentication and tighter identity checks to combat this. Mr Dudi is conducting awareness campaigns to educate citizens about cyber frauds.
If you have been a victim of such fraud, you are advised to immediately call the toll-free helpline, 1930, or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.
- The widespread threat of online fraud has extended to the realm of cybersecurity, with gangs like the one arrested in Rajasthan creating fake tourism and temple booking portals to deceive victims and commit financial crimes.
- In the sphere of general-news and crime-and-justice, Indian authorities are stepping up efforts to combat online booking frauds through systemic interventions such as Aadhaar-based authentication and tighter identity checks, as well as promoting awareness campaigns about cybersecurity.
