Mumbaikars lose money to fraudsters posing as Maha Kumbh organizers; Here's how

Mumbai: Online scammers seem to spare nothing—not even the sacred Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj, UP. As the grand pilgrimage nears its conclusion on February 26, reports have emerged of aspiring pilgrims from Mumbai being duped while attempting to participate in the world’s largest religious gathering.

Fraudsters have been using fake websites, official-looking bank accounts, enticing photos of VIP tents, and even promises of helicopter rides to lure victims. In one case, a 55-year-old businesswoman from Lower Parel, who runs a furniture showroom, lost nearly Rs 4 lakh while planning a trip with five friends for a holy dip. She was deceived into transferring money to an account falsely named "UP State Tourism," making the scam appear legitimate.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 may hit Earth in 2032 & Indian cities are at risk. NASA warns of potential impact zones

The victim filed an FIR at N M Joshi Marg police station on Monday, reporting that she had been defrauded of Rs 3.78 lakh. On February 7, she and her husband searched online for tent accommodations and flight tickets for their pilgrimage. They came across a website named Tentcitymahakumbh.org and reached out. A representative from the site shared a brochure and requested passenger details for six people. To make the offer appear more convincing, he sent appealing images and videos of VIP tents. He then instructed her to transfer the money to an account labeled "UP State Tourism II" with an IFSC code. Despite flights appearing fully booked, he assured her that tickets would be arranged.

She shared her personal details, including Aadhaar information, and initially transferred Rs 35,000 to the fraudsters, receiving a reservation confirmation in return. Later, they claimed that her airline booking transaction had failed and requested additional payments. Trusting them, she transferred more money and received confirmation for two VIP tents and six flight tickets. However, soon after, the scammer’s WhatsApp number became unreachable. Additionally, one of her friends also fell victim to the same fraud, losing Rs 75,000.

In another incident, Cuffe Parade police arrested five individuals from Bihar for allegedly running a fake website offering helicopter rides for the Maha Kumbh. The suspects, identified as Mukesh Kumar, Saurabh Kumar, Avinash Kumar, Srushti Barnawal, and Sanjitkumar Mistry, were involved in the scam.

A Cuffe Parade resident who filed the complaint told the police that she had reached out to a website advertising helicopter rides for the Maha Kumbh. The person on the other end instructed her to transfer Rs 60,652 for a group of 26 travelers and provided a QR code for payment. She completed the transaction but later discovered that the money had not gone to a government agency’s account, but instead to an individual named Sonamuni Devi.

The following day, the fraudulent website vanished. Realizing she had been scammed, she approached the police, who launched an investigation. They traced the withdrawn funds to an ATM in Bihar, obtained CCTV footage of the suspects from the ATM camera, and subsequently arrested all five individuals.

India gears up to become global aerospace powerhouse with expanding fleets: Report