By Ashwani Mishra, Editor-Technology, 63SATS Cybertech
Remember Oh My God! (2012), where Paresh Rawal’s character, a sceptical atheist, takes on self-styled godmen profiting off blind devotion?
In one memorable scene, “panditjis” exploit devotees, selling blessings, amulets, and promises—all for a price.
While it was satirical fiction, real life has taken that plot digital.
In today’s cyber landscape, the “pandit scam” has evolved into a sophisticated ecosystem of fake websites, phishing portals, and manipulated social media handles—defrauding lakhs of devotees placing their faith and wallets in temples.
The Ram Temple Prasad Scam
In December 2023, just weeks before the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, a digital fraudster launched a website—khadiorganic.com—claiming to distribute prasad, coins, and idols linked to the ceremony. The portal wasn’t run by temple authorities, but by a conman posing as a professor.
The website received over six lakh orders from Indian and overseas devotees, each paying for “facilitation” and “free” delivery. The scam raked in ₹10.49 crore within a span of weeks. Prasad delivery alone accounted for ₹3.85 crore.
It was only after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust flagged the site for suspicious activity that police intervened. The accused was arrested upon his return to India, and thanks to quick action, ₹2.15 crore was refunded to over 3.7 lakh victims—marking Uttar Pradesh’s biggest cyber refund case to date.
Faith as a Soft Target
But Ayodhya isn’t alone.
In April 2024, cybercriminals created a convincing clone of the Neeladri Bhakta Niwas, a popular guest house run by the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri. A fake website—www.neeladribhaktanivas.in—invited bookings through WhatsApp, asking devotees to transfer money online. Once payments were made, the scammers disappeared.
The Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration filed a formal complaint, leading to a Crime Branch investigation. But by then, the digital trail had already claimed hundreds of unsuspecting victims.
Cybercrime doesn’t stop at fake websites. Even official digital presences aren’t safe. In April 2024, the Facebook page of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust was hacked.
Though the Trust managed to regain control quickly, the breach sent shivers through the digital corridors of trust. Imagine a cybercriminal asking for donations via a hacked “verified” page—devotees wouldn’t think twice before donating.
The Bigger Picture
In a country where temple donations surpass crore of rupees annually, it’s no surprise cybercriminals have found a new hunting ground. With trust already built into the ecosystem, the entry barrier is low—and the returns, sky-high.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary revealed in Parliament in March this year that cyber fraud losses jumped from ₹18.46 crore in 2014-15 to ₹177.05 crore in 2023-24. In just nine months of FY25, the toll had already hit ₹107 crore.
The surge is attributed to not just better digital access but also increasing sophistication of fraudsters. They now use AI tools to clone voices, create deepfake videos, and mimic trusted religious entities—all in a bid to steal money from faith-driven citizens.
A Dangerous Combination: Devotion and Digital Illiteracy
Many victims fall prey because they’re less digitally literate. Elderly devotees or non-tech-savvy users are the prime targets. When presented with a “limited time offer” to receive temple prasad or blessings, their first instinct is to trust—not verify.
It’s the perfect storm: high faith, low digital awareness, and emotional urgency. And fraudsters are more than happy to capitalize.
What Can Be Done?
Temple trusts and state governments are now ramping up cybersecurity protocols. Verified websites, helpline numbers, and QR verification are being promoted. But a lot more needs to be done.
Digital literacy for devotees must become part of temple outreach programs.
Public-private cyber alliances involving state CERTs and temple trusts can track and report fraudulent domains in real time.
Social media monitoring and AI-based anomaly detection can help catch unusual donation patterns or fake religious campaigns.
Jago (Wake-up) Devotee
India’s temples have always been sanctuaries—for the soul and for community. But in this digital age, they’ve also become lucrative hunting grounds for cybercriminals wearing virtual robes. What was once a harmless grift portrayed in Bollywood is now a ₹100 crore scam economy.
Devotion is beautiful—but blind trust in the digital age can be dangerous. As we move forward, it’s not just Gods who need protecting—it’s the god-fearing devotees who need digital armor.
In this battle between bytes and bhakti, awareness is the true offering we all must make.
