Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Police have cracked down on a gang duping people by creating fake websites in the name of ashrams in Haridwar and other parts of the state.

 One member of the gang has been arrested in Khairpur, Rajasthan.

SSP Pauri shared that the police had been receiving multiple complaints about people being scammed through fraudulent websites offering bookings for ashrams.

These ashrams, under the Direction to Women Education, became a target for the gang operating from Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

The accused would set up fake websites and lure unsuspecting victims into making payments for ashram bookings that never existed.

Once the complaints piled up, the police launched an investigation and tracked down the suspect, leading to the arrest of the mastermind.

Authorities have cautioned the public to verify the authenticity of websites before making any online bookings.

"Always confirm the website is genuine, and avoid trusting deals that seem too good to be true. Verification can save you from falling prey to such scams," SSP said.

The case is under investigation, and police are hopeful of uncovering more links to this fraudulent network.