The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has shut down 41 fake websites and rendered 13 mobile apps ineffective, as they are found to be involved in duping the pilgrims at Tirumala.
Considering it as the largest “virtual offensive” in its history so far, the temple management has shut down the websites bearing names that have striking similarity to its official website — https://tirupatibalaji.ap.gov.in.
The devotees, upon reaching Tirumala, find that they have been taken for a ride, standing in the queuelines and after getting their tickets scanned at the temple.
Such an awkward situation not only burns a hole in their purse, but also sentimentally affects the devotees, as they find it hard to return home without the darshan of Lord Venkateswara.
Fake links
The TTD regularly shares its darshan-related information on its website as well as on its official Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts to keep the pilgrims updated.
Ostensibly, taking advantage of the TTD social media’s relatively-low presence in North India, the scamsters are said to be targeting the gullible devotees hailing from the northern States by circulating fake links, a click on which eventually leads them to fake websites.
With many such instances coming to light, TTD Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy has given the go-ahead to tackle the crisis, basing on which the TTD’s Information Technology Department has initiated action by contacting the Andhra Pradesh Technology Services Limited (APTS), the State government’s official agency, and the agencies hosting websites and domain registrars.
“This involves people’s faith and the devotee’s hard-earned money. Hence, we are taking it a bit further to contact the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to stress the gravity of the situation,” TTD General Manager (IT) L.M. Sandeep told The Hindu.
Though there are innumerable unofficial accounts on social media that disseminate Tirumala-related information, the management is targeting only those offering fake promise of darshan and leading to unauthorised payment gateways.
By employing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques, the TTD has already ensured that its official website pops up first during a Google search. The team is now zeroing in on brand management tools to identify the fake websites that pose a serious threat from time to time.
