Haridwar, June 1 (H.S.): The Uttarakhand government has taken action against an online fraud racket impersonating helicopter ticket booking for the Kedarnath pilgrimage. The Special Task Force has shut down several fake websites, social media pages, and bank accounts involved in defrauding pilgrims. Cybercriminals promoted non-official ticket booking sites, collecting payments under false pretenses and tempting victims with lower prices. So far, 51 fraudulent websites and 56 bank accounts have been frozen, along with 30 WhatsApp numbers and 111 phone numbers linked to the scam.

Additionally, over 37 social media pages have been closed. The Uttarakhand police released a YouTube video advising vigilance in online bookings. They warned buyers to use the official IRCTC website and to report any suspicious activity to helpline 1930 or via email.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar