Kumbh Mela 2025: The highly awaited Maha Kumbh Mela is all set to commence on January 13 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, with last-minute preparations now underway. Anticipating millions of devotees from across the globe, the state government has also made extensive arrangements concerning crowd management, accommodations, transportation and more.

In the wake of such a massive influx, cybercriminals are likely to utilise the opportunity to exploit devotees by creating fake platforms that offer premium services, including hotel bookings, tickets and even VIP bathing arrangements.

To keep a check on such activities, the Pimpri Chinchwad cyber crime police station in Maharashtra has issued an advisory to alert residents of the same.e

In the advisory issued on Thursday, January 9, the police stated a large number of fake websites, links and other platforms have surfaced on the internet and social media to “exploit the faith of the devotees" who are planning to visit the Maha KumbhByth the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the police have cautioned people to remain aware of such scams.

“The victim can be potentially cheated in different ways. Fraudulent websites, links, and other platforms can cheat people on the pretext of collecting donations from devotees. Devotees can also be cheated on the pretext of bookings for hotels, tents, and other types of accommodations at the event," it further read.

Police also explained how platforms could ask devotees to download corrupted files to gain access to the user’s details and devices. The advisory urged users to refrain from clicking on any questionable websites or links and also to not share sensitive financial information and passwords with the platforms or callers.

All the official details about the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 are available on the official website, kumbh.gov.in.

The advisory came days after the Uttar Pradesh police released an awareness video on its social media platforms to show only cybercriminals have been operating to defraud people. It warns devotees against falling for such scams along with tips for safe booking.
 

“Take a holy dip in Maha Kumbh, but don’t fall into the trap of cyber scams!" Make bookings only from registered websites; otherwise, cybercriminals can make your address disappear. Be alert, be safe!" the post read.

The Kumbh Mela, which is held every 12 years, is one of the largest spiritual gatherings, set to begin on Monday, January 13, and will conclude on February 26.

Millions of devotees are expected to participate in the auspicious event, looking forward to a bath at the Triveni Sangam, the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati confluence.