Ayodhya Ram temple consecration: Beware of fake donation websites, 'VIP passes' & other online scams

There is a lot of festive fervour in cities, towns, and villages across India ahead of the Lord Ram 'pran pratishtha' (temple idol consecration) ceremony in Ayodhya.

However, cybercriminals have come up with nefarious techniques to hoodwink devotees to steal their hard-earned money.

Vinod Bansal, National Spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has urged devotees and citizens to exercise caution on rogues misusing the temple consecration ceremony towards their criminal ends.

"Attention!! In Ayodhya, some people are conspiring to loot the devotees of Ram by luring them with VIP darshan of Lord Shri Ram temple etc. Cheating is done through these types of false messages. Devotees should not fall into such traps. Report such messages to the local police," said Bansal on X (formerly Twitter).

A fake Ram Temple 'VIP Pass' message and link shared on WhatsApp.

Beware of the online scams listed below:

Ayodhya Ram Temple VIP Pass app: There is a viral WhatsApp forward asking people to install an app to get a free VIP pass to the Ayodhya temple. There is no such official app to secure invitations or a temple pass. Just ignore the messages (shown above) and move on.

Donation to Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust: Do not install an app or click the URL link to the Ram Temple donation website shared on the messenger app. Be wary of such website links sent on WhatsApp, Telegram, or SMS apps.

Further, without verifying, do not pay by scanning the QR codes sent on the messenger app.

For the uninitiated, Ayodhya Ram Temple is being built by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust formed by the Government of India.

If you desire to donate, go to the official website (here). You will get a donation receipt. If you pay Rs 2,000 or more, you can use the donation receipt to claim a deduction under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Ram Mandir Prasad on e-commerce: Some businessmen/women are misusing the event to fraudulently sell 'Ram Mandir Prasad' (temple sweets) on Amazon and other e-commerce sites. Users can see review ratings below the product to know.

Fake Ram Temple 'prasad' being sold on Amazon.

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