Online fraudsters selling fake helicopter tickets to naive and gullible pilgrims have become a headache for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board

"Around 20 pilgrims have been duped by these fraudsters in the past two months. They were given fake tickets," Board CEO Ramesh Kumar said.

The Shrine Board has lodged a complaint with the crime branch which has taken up the investigation, he added. The CEO said the Board has also written to Google to ban such websites.

"We had lodged the complaint sometime back and police are investigating the matter but finding these online fraudsters is time consuming," he added. The fraudsters have made fake websites offering helicopter tickets to gullible pilgrims.

"They seek aadhaar card details, other particulars and ask the pilgrims to transfer money digitally. They also offer fake tickets and then do not pick calls of victims and destroy the SIM card. We are working on the matter for the last two months since cases of such frauds increased," he said.

Kumar said, when the cheated pilgrims approach the Board, they refer the cases to police. He urged pilgrims to beware of such fraudsters.

"Sale of helicopter tickets for pilgrims travelling from Katra to Sanjichhat and back is sole prerogative of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. We have not authorised any travel agent, agency or person to use the Board’s name to sell or undertake online bookings for any services that are provided by Board. All online services offered by us are through our official website www.maavaishnodevi.org or the Mata Vaishno Devi mobile app only," he said.

Kumar added that any misrepresentation of the Board by any person or agency will be dealt strictly as per law.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com