India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has warned travelers about a growing number of online booking scams. According to MoneyControl, criminals are creating fake websites and social media accounts to trick people who are booking trips to holy places like Kedarnath and Char Dham (a famous Hindu pilgrimage circuit of four sacred sites). The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), which is the government agency that fights online crime in India, shared this warning on Saturday.
How These Scams Work
The scammers are very clever in how they trick people. They create professional-looking fake websites that look just like real travel booking sites. Think of it like someone making a perfect copy of your house key – from the outside, it looks exactly like the real thing, but it’s made to steal from you.
These criminals also create fake social media accounts and post ads on search engines to catch people’s attention. Once they get in touch with you, they often continue talking through WhatsApp to seem more personal and trustworthy.
Types of Travel Services Being Faked
The scammers are targeting many different kinds of travel services:
- Helicopter bookings for Kedarnath and Char Dham pilgrimages
- Hotel and guest house reservations
- Taxi services for travelers
- Complete tour packages
Numbers Show a Growing Problem
The problem is getting worse across India. In Uttarakhand alone, officials reported 47 cases of helicopter ticket fraud between 2023 and 2024. These scams caused people to lose about ₹10 lakh (about 1 million rupees). Despite the many cases, police have only arrested three people so far, and no money has been recovered.
Authorities have shut down 76 fake websites and closed 20 Facebook pages connected to these scams. They also took action against 30 unauthorized travel agencies in Haridwar that were cheating pilgrims.
How to Stay Safe
If you’re planning a trip, especially to religious places, here’s how to protect yourself:
- Always check if a website is real before making any booking
- Book through official channels like the IRCTC portal for train tickets
- Be suspicious of deals that seem too good to be true
- Don’t rush to make payments when pressured
- Look for contact information and verify it independently
If you come across any suspicious website or offer, you can report it on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) – the official website where people can report online crimes directly to authorities.
The Bigger Picture of Cybercrime in India
These travel scams are just part of a larger cybercrime problem in India. Between April 2021 and December 2023, cybercriminals stole over ₹30,300 crore (about 303 billion rupees or $3.63 billion) from people in India.
The number of cybercrime complaints has jumped dramatically – from 4.52 lakh (452,000) in 2021 to 15.56 lakh (1,556,000) in 2023. That’s a huge 60.9% increase just from 2022 to 2023.
In 2024, about 7,000 cybercrime complaints are being recorded every single day. And 85% of these complaints are about financial frauds where people lose their money.
Stay Alert When Booking Travel
The Ministry of Home Affairs is asking all travelers to be extra careful when booking trips online. This is especially important for religious journeys to places like Kedarnath, which attract thousands of pilgrims every year. Remember that real travel services won’t rush you into making payments, and they will have proper verification methods. When in doubt, take your time to check before sending any money.
