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Char Dham Yatra Fake Booking Scam | Report Scams

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activeOnline Shopping / Ticket FraudUttarakhand

Char Dham Yatra Fake Booking Scam

Pilgrims planning the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand have been targeted by fraudsters running fake online ticketing scams for helicopter services. Scammers used social media advertisements, fake websites, and messaging apps to lure unsuspecting victims, offering helicopter tour packages and tickets to sacred sites like Kedarnath. Victims included a 60-year-old doctor from Hyderabad who lost over three lakh rupees and a government official in Delhi, among others.

State

Uttarakhand

First reported

April 2024

Estimated victims

5,000+

Amount alleged

₹20+ Cr (alleged)

Agency involved

Delhi Police, Uttarakhand Police Special Task Force, Hyderabad Cybercrime Police, and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre

Arrests

A few persons connected with the racket nabbed from Bihar and other places

Official portal

heliyatra.irctc.co.in / Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) website

The full story

Everything you need to know about this case, in one place.

To make the fraudulent bookings appear genuine, the criminals sent forged e-tickets, hotel reservation details, and VVIP darshan confirmations via email and WhatsApp. The scams came to light when victims attempted to use the tickets at helipads or contacted service providers directly, only to be told that no such reservations existed. Authorities noted that elderly visitors, non-resident Indians, and families were primary targets of these cybercriminal operations.

In response to the racket, police teams from Delhi and Uttarakhand conducted operations resulting in arrests of suspects operating primarily from Bihar and other locations. Law enforcement agencies, alongside the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, cracked down on the illegal networks. Officials have repeatedly cautioned the public to use only authorised portals, such as the official Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority website, for booking pilgrimage travel.

Not yet reported: The articles do not specify the total aggregate financial loss across all victims or the exact total number of individuals arrested.

Where the case stands

The latest position in the reports we read.

Police have arrested several suspects linked to the cyber fraud network in states like Bihar, while investigations by multiple cybercrime units continue.

Who was affected

Described in general terms; we do not name victims.

Pilgrims undertaking the Char Dham Yatra, including elderly visitors, a 60-year-old doctor from Hyderabad, a government official in Delhi, and non-resident Indians.

How the scam worked

The method described in the reports.

Fraudsters published advertisements on platforms like Instagram promoting helicopter services and tour packages for the Char Dham Yatra.
Victims contacted the phone numbers provided in the advertisements and spoke with individuals falsely claiming to represent legitimate entities like Himalayan Heli Services or Pawan Hans.
The scammers offered tour packages or individual tickets, requesting payments through bank transfers or online payment methods.
To build trust, the perpetrators sent fabricated e-tickets, hotel booking details, and VVIP darshan confirmations via email and WhatsApp.
When victims arrived at the helipads or cross-checked with the actual operators and hotels, they discovered the bookings were completely fake.

Targeted by something similar?

Call 1930 (free, 24x7) straight away, then file at cybercrime.gov.in. Money reported in the first hours is far easier to freeze.

Report it on Report Scams Emergency guide How these scams work

Keep reading

More cases like this one.

IPL / Event Fake Ticket ScamOnline Shopping / Ticket Fraud · Maharashtra

Sources and further reading

Optional. The full story is above; these are the original reports it was prepared from.

pioneeredge.inOriginal report telanganatoday.comOriginal report khaleejtimes.comOriginal report Primary source / searchOpens via Google News Char Dham Yatra: Badrinath sets new highs - Pioneer EdgePioneer Edge · 5 Oct 2026

Prepared by Report Scams, with the help of AI, from the published reports listed above. Check those reports for the latest. Cases here describe allegations. An FIR, arrest or charge is not a finding of guilt. To report a mistake, or to ask for a correction or removal, write to our Grievance Officer. See also the Safe Posting policy.