Fake helicopter tickets targeting SMVD pilgrims: Shiv Sena (UBT)

Jammu, Jan 17: The Shiv Sena (UBT) has raised concerns over the continuous “fraud” involving fake helicopter tickets for the Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Yatra, claiming that 5-8 pilgrims fall victim to this scam every day.
Manish Sahni, president of the Shiv Sena Jammu-Kashmir unit, said in a press conference on Friday that thousands of rupees are being defrauded as the online ticketing fraud continues unabated.
Sahni said that for the past several months, numerous fake helicopter booking websites have emerged on Google, effectively deceiving unwitting travellers into believing they have secured confirmed tickets. He reported receiving daily complaints regarding these fraudulent activities, while the local police and cyber cell are struggling to mitigate the situation.
According to Sahni, both the police administration and the Shrine Board are facing around 8-10 complaints each month related to these scams.
“Victims of the fraud have reported that when they contact the phone number provided on these deceptive websites, the scammers falsely claim to be employees of the Shrine Board operating out of Niharika Bhawan in Katra. This has not only affected innocent passengers but also posed challenges for the Shrine Board itself, which has issued advisories urging the public to avoid these counterfeit websites and apps,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.
Sahni called for increased vigilance from the Shrine Board and local authorities. He called for the need to pressure Google and other platforms to eliminate websites that mimic official Shri Mata Vaishnodevi ticketing sites.
The Sena leader demanded stringent monitoring and legal action from law enforcement and cyber cells to combat these frauds effectively.
He also appealed to the public to exercise caution when booking helicopter tickets and other services, advising them to rely solely on the official Shrine Board website after conducting thorough research.