Surat: The Cyber Crime Cell of the city police has busted a fake air ticket scam and arrested a Bengaluru-based accused who allegedly duped travel agents and passengers by issuing forged flight tickets that appeared genuine.

The accused, Humayun Kabir, an Ayurvedic practitioner by profession, allegedly lured victims by offering air tickets at rates lower than the market price. Once payments were made, he generated fake e-tickets using editing tools, complete with fabricated PNRs and passenger details, and sent them to customers. Victims often discovered the fraud only upon reaching the airport.

Surat Complainant Duped of ₹7.67 Lakh

In one such case, a Surat-based complainant approached the accused to book 45 air tickets for 15 passengers. Attracted by the discounted rates, the complainant transferred ₹8.17 lakh to multiple bank accounts provided by the accused.

After receiving the money, the accused sent fake tickets for all bookings. When the fraud came to light, he returned only ₹50,000, while ₹7.67 lakh remained unpaid. The victim subsequently lodged a complaint via the 1930 cyber helpline, triggering an investigation.

Accused Traced to Bengaluru

Based on technical surveillance and analysis of bank transactions, the Cyber Crime team traced the accused to Bengaluru. The main accused, 29-year-old Humayun Kabir Abdul Razak, originally from Assam, was arrested from the Hulimavu area.

Police said the accused, who holds a BAMS degree, had set up a firm named ‘FLYUTRAVELS PVT LTD’ in 2024 as a front to run the racket.

Fraud of Over ₹22 Crore Across India

Further investigation revealed the large scale of the operation. Police identified 29 bank accounts linked to the accused and his associates.

Data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal indicates that at least 23 complaints have been registered against the gang across various states. Authorities estimate that transactions worth over ₹22.24 crore have been routed through these accounts.

The same bank accounts used in the Surat case were also linked to at least eight other complaints involving transactions exceeding ₹7 crore.

Modus Operandi

The accused allegedly contacted travel agents through social media and direct outreach, offering discounted tickets under the pretext of bulk bookings or special quotas.

After receiving payments, he created fake tickets using graphic editing software and sent them in PDF format. Victims typically realised they had been cheated only upon reaching the airport or during airline check-in. DeshGujarat