Bhubaneswar, July 11: After duping pilgrims through fake hotel booking websites ahead of the Puri Rath Yatra, cyber fraudsters have now adopted a new modus operandi—luring devotees with fake online pujas and donation campaigns in the name of Lord Jagannath.

Several advertisements circulating on Facebook claim that devotees who are unable to visit Puri can participate in Rath Yatra rituals from home by making online payments. The ads promise spiritual benefits, including freedom from past sins and fulfilment of wishes, in return for donations.

Taking note of the fraudulent campaigns, the Odisha Crime Branch's Cyber Cell has launched an investigation and initiated steps to get the misleading advertisements removed from Facebook. The agency has also urged devotees to remain cautious and avoid falling prey to such scams.

According to the advertisements, devotees can pay ‘₹251 or ₹501’ to have a ‘Tulsi garland’ offered to Lord Jagannath on the chariot during Rath Yatra. Fraudsters ask people to share their name and gotra and assure them that the ritual will be performed on their behalf. They also claim that a video of the offering will be recorded and sent to the devotee via WhatsApp.

The scammers are also promoting so-called ‘Sudarshan Homa’ rituals, claiming that devotees can book the puja by paying ‘more than ₹5,000’. They promise that the ritual will fulfil devotees' wishes and can either be attended in person or performed remotely on their behalf.

Apart from religious rituals, the fraudsters are seeking donations in the name of ‘feeding Rath Yatra devotees’, claiming that thousands of pilgrims struggle to get food and drinking water during the festival. The advertisements urge people to contribute generously for the charitable initiative.

Investigators have also found that some advertisements claim the rituals will be conducted not only in Puri but also at Jagannath temples in ‘Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Khurda’. To make the campaigns appear authentic, the fraudsters are using ‘AI-generated videos’ featuring Jagannath temples, Rath Yatra visuals, devotional music and images of Lord Jagannath. The videos carry WhatsApp contact numbers and UPI payment IDs to collect money from unsuspecting devotees.

The Crime Branch Cyber Cell has started coordinating with Facebook to remove such advertisements. Earlier, the agency had taken down several fake websites that were cheating pilgrims in the name of hotel bookings for the Rath Yatra.

The Crime Branch has advised devotees to verify the authenticity of any online puja, donation drive or religious service before making payments. It has appealed to the public to rely only on official temple channels and authorised organisations for donations and ritual bookings.