Fake chopper booking scamtargets Char Dham pilgrims

Dehradun: Ahead of the Char Dham yatra, the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttarakhand has busted a cyber fraud racket targeting pilgrims through fake helicopter booking services. The fraud is being carried out purportedly in the name of ‘Pawan Hans Limited' on social media by creating fake pages on Meta platforms, officials said on Thursday.In a joint review with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, officials found that fraudsters have created fake accounts, pages and websites, luring users with bogus Kedarnath chopper bookings. "Preliminary investigation indicates that the network is largely being operated from Bihar, using fake mobile numbers and bank accounts to dupe victims," said a senior STF official, privy to the matter.Those fake accounts have been identified and social media platforms have been informed to take down all such bogus accounts, the official said, adding that surveillance of suspicious bank accounts and mobile numbers has also been intensified.SSP STF Ajai Singh further said that a "large-scale cyber awareness campaign will also be launched to alert the public".The latest warning comes as the Char Dham yatra is set to begin soon -- with portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples opening on April 19, followed by Kedarnath temple on April 22 and Badrinath temple two days later. The yatra attracts lakhs of devotees every year, many of whom opt for helicopter services, particularly for Kedarnath.Officials have urged pilgrims to book helicopter services only through official and verified platforms.