Ayodhya: Avoid the Birla Dharamshala Scam

"Ayodhya," it immediately brings to mind its deep historical and religious significance, known as the birthplace of Bhagwan Shri Ram, is a symbol of both faith and cultural identity for at least a billion people.

In this era of Kali and increasing deceit, even pilgrims visiting Ayodhya, a sacred site associated with Lord Ram, a symbol of righteousness, are being targeted by scammers.

As a keyboard upholder of Dharma, I am compelled to share a recent incident that occurred within my own family as a means to raise awareness about the fraudulent activities targeting devotees of Lord Ram.

Element 1 - The YouTube: My father-in-law, a tech-proficient individual, had recently been exploring potential destinations for a trip. Intrigued by the historical significance of Ayodhya, he stumbled upon a YouTube video that highlighted Birla Dharamshala as a budget-friendly accommodation option.

Element 2 - Google Search Ads: Following the video's recommendation, he google searched for "Birla Dharamshala" and clicked on a first link - which happened to be sponsored by google ads. (one such website is https://birladharmshalayodhya.com/, however, there are other similar websites in operation)

Element 3 - Fake Phone Numbers: The link led him to a webpage where he found a contact number. Upon calling the number, he was greeted by an individual who claimed to be a staff member at Birla Dharamshala. The scammer offered a room for a few nights at a seemingly attractive and discounted rate of ?2,000, requesting an advance payment of ?1,000 through Paytm.

Element 4 - The Deadly Duo (WhatsApp and PayTM): After the initial payment of ?1,000, the scammer's greed wasn't satiated. He sent a WhatsApp message with a 'transaction in progress.' screenshot having reference number 19095, claiming that transaction is in progress. To deceive my father-in-law, the scammer called him stating the booking is yet to be confirmed and an action is pending from his end, offering assistance in receiving a supposed receipt via Paytm to confirm the booking.

Element 5 - The Classic (QR Code): The scammer then guided my father-in-law to open Paytm, where he was instructed to scan a QR code and enter 'booking confirmed 1 AC room' followed by the reference number 19095 in the field we enter the amount, at which point my father-in-law realized the scam and immediately terminated the conversation.

The Scam Exposed & Aftermath

Upon sharing his experience with me, I immediately began investigating the matter. Through little online research, I discovered numerous similar cases where unsuspecting travellers had fallen victim to the same scam. Victims reported being following the identical pattern in contacting the scammers posing as Birla Dharamshala staff, who offered rooms at discounted rates and demanded upfront payments.

My research confirmed that Birla Dharamshala does not accept online reservations. The Dharamshala only accepts bookings in person or through authorized travel agents. The scammers, leveraging the Dharamshala's reputation and the allure of affordable accommodation, had successfully deceived numerous individuals. On the flipside, I also suspect that the caretaker of Birla Dharamshala are hand in glove in this scamming operation.

Key Takeaways and Combating Cyber Crimes

It's clear that this scam involves an organized syndicate operating from West Bengal/Jharkhand/Odisha based on operating circles of their phone numbers. The coordinated use of YouTube influencers to promote the scam and the fake phone numbers suggest a well-structured operation.

Law enforcement should rigorously investigate the Youtube influencers involved, prosecuting them for spreading misinformation and aiding in fraud. Additionally, YouTube should demonetize their channels and implement stricter verification processes for content creators.

Phone service providers like airtel , Jio and Vodafone Idea Limited must enhance ID verification procedures, implement real-time monitoring systems, and collaborate with law enforcement to combat SIM card fraud.

谷歌 should strengthen its ad verification algorithms, partner with fact-checking organizations and avoid on boarding scam websites as customers, and educate users about scam prevention.

Paytm should streamline its complaint process, invest in advanced fraud detection technologies, and educate users about scam prevention.

WhatsApp can leverage its voice and text analysis capabilities which they use to tailor advertisement, to identify potential scams, notify users of suspicious activity, and collaborate with law enforcement.

Though I am sure many fraud prevention measures are already in place, however, the cybercrime organizations are continuously adapting and innovating and we must too!