Mata Vaishno Devi Pilgrims, beware: Ferozepur devotee cheated for online Chopper booking

Mata Vaishno Devi Pilgrims, beware: Ferozepur devotee cheated for online Chopper booking

Ferozepur, April 11, 2022:  Online fraudsters selling fake helicopter tickets to inexperienced and innocent pilgrims have become a headache for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, when one Ferozepur based has become a victim of this service.

As Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDB) has made online booking mandatory for the Yatra to prevent any congestion at the shrine after the stampede, unscrupulous elements have cheated some pilgrims in the name of online booking of helicopters. Added here, around 20 pilgrims have been duped by these fraudsters in the past two months. They were given fake tickets.

There are instructions that all the online services offered by Shrine Board are offered through the official website of the shrine board: www.maavaishnodevi.org and MATA VAISHNO DEVI APP, only as Board has not authorized any agency to use Board’s name or undertake online bookings.

Divulging with details, Namita Shukla – an educationist by profession – said, on April 4, she applied for the booking of three tickets, for April 13, at Chopper to visit Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and deposited Rs.5,190.  Later on, a call was received from 9903613584 to deposit Rs.5,720 as insurance which too was deposited.  The second call to deposit Rs.1,830, was received which too was deposited. On asking for refund becoming suspicious, the caller said, you have to deposit in one go the entire amount, only then the previous deposits would be refunded.  On feeling not to lose the earlier deposit, another amount of Rs.10,910 was deposited in Union Bank of India Account No.1066220140550 – IFSC Code – UBIN0535770.

She said, but after that, the number was blocked as neither the refund nor the tickets were issued.  However, by calling on 1930 toll-free helpline, a complaint was registered at National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

Putting wiser to the devotees and waiting for the refund, Namita said, She urged pilgrims to beware of such fraudsters and do booking on confirmation of such portals and only on the official website of the institution. She also shared the screenshot of the site where booking was initiated.