GUNTUR: Bapatla police have busted a nationwide cybercrime syndicate that preyed on faith and wanderlust, duping devotees and tourists through fake websites of India’s most revered temples and scenic resorts.
Operating from a remote village in Rajasthan, the gang created fraudulent websites resembling the portals of prominent pilgrim centres like Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Srisailam, Trimbakeshwar, and Haritha Resorts run by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation at Suryalanka.
Disclosing this at a press conference in Bapatla on Friday, SP Tushar Dudi said the fraud surfaced after G Ashok, manager of Haritha Resorts, lodged a complaint with police about a fake booking portal.
A case was registered at Bapatla Rural Police Station. Two special police teams led by SI Nayab Rasool, and Inspector K Srinivasa Rao were formed to probe the case. The teams used cyber forensics, and NCRP/SAMANVAYA databases to trace 127 related complaints from 18 States, involving Rs 50 lakh fraud.
Two key operatives Paranjeet (20) and Bittu (21) were nabbed on July 23, and the duo is being interrogated. Out of the total complaints, 49 were related to fake websites of Haritha Resorts, and 11 to temple portals. Some 52 were linked to UPI-based frauds, fake identities, and OLX scams.
The highest number of cases was reported from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (59), followed by Maharashtra (14), Uttar Pradesh (12), Rajasthan (9), and Karnataka (8), the SP explained.
Dudi cautioned people against fake website links, and urged victims to call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in.