Stay safe › Scams
Fake travel, pilgrimage and hotel bookings
Kedarnath helicopter, Char Dham or hotel booked on a fake site. You pay, and no ticket or room exists.
How it works
You search for a helicopter ticket to Kedarnath, a Char Dham package or a guest house near a temple. The top result looks official, with photos, prices and a phone number. You pay, but no confirmation comes, and the number stops answering.
The official warning
In April 2025, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) warned that fraudsters were using fake websites, social media pages, WhatsApp accounts and paid search ads to offer services such as Kedarnath helicopter bookings and Char Dham trips. It said Kedarnath helicopter tickets should be booked only through heliyatra.irctc.co.in, and that people should check a website before paying and be careful with sponsored links.
The rule
For any booking, especially during the pilgrimage and holiday season, go to the official website yourself. If a price or offer seems too good, or tickets are “available” only through a WhatsApp number, it’s a trap.
If it has already happened
- Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in immediately, with screenshots of the website and payment.
- Call your bank to report the payment.
- Report the website or ad to the platform where you found it.
Protect yourself
- Book Kedarnath helicopter tickets only on heliyatra.irctc.co.in, and temple guest houses only on the trust's official website.
- Type the official address yourself instead of clicking ads or sponsored results.
- Pay through the official site's payment page, never by UPI to a person's name.
Say it simply
Before a pilgrimage or trip, check the official booking site with family, and book together.
If someone on WhatsApp offers a helicopter or darshan ticket, don't pay. Ask family to check the official site.
Where to report
- Cybercrime helpline 1930Money has been taken or a payment was tricked out of you. Call at once: the sooner, the better the chance of freezing it.Call 1930
- National Cyber Crime Reporting PortalFile a complaint about any cyber fraud, harassment, sextortion or morphed images.cybercrime.gov.in
- Your bank, directlyBlock your card or UPI, and report the transaction. Use the number on your card or the bank's official app, never one from a message.Number on your card
- The app or platformReport and block the account on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube or wherever it happened, so it can be taken down.Report in the app