Tatkal in 60 Seconds: Aadhaar IDs Sold via Telegram Racket Amid New IRCTC Rule
New Delhi: A massive ticketing racket has surfaced as unauthorized platforms claim to book Tatkal tickets within 60 seconds using bots and Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC accounts—raising serious concerns about user data safety and abuse of the system.
New IRCTC Rule Fuels Black Market Surge
From July 1, the Ministry of Railways has made Aadhaar authentication mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website or app. However, this move has inadvertently fueled a thriving black market, where verified IRCTC user IDs are openly sold on Telegram for as little as ₹360.
Tatkal tickets, reserved for last-minute travel and released 24 hours before departure, are increasingly snatched up within seconds—often by bots or agents—leaving genuine travelers at a disadvantage.
Telegram, WhatsApp Networks Driving the Racket
An India Today OSINT investigation uncovered over 40 active groups on Telegram and WhatsApp, with thousands of agents allegedly operating in the larger online e-ticketing black market. These agents are not alone; tech-savvy fraudsters and fake service providers exploit IRCTC system loopholes to gain an unfair advantage.
To conceal their identities, group admins often use international phone numbers.
Inside the Operation: How Bots Outsmart Genuine Users
One such group, titled “Fast Tatkal Software”, was monitored for over three months. It revealed the modus operandi: tech operators sell bots to agents, who install them in browsers to enable autofill for login, passenger, and payment details—ensuring confirmed tickets in under a minute.
These bots are designed to evade IRCTC’s AI-driven anti-bot system, often by masking IP addresses using Virtual Private Servers (VPS).
Bots for Sale: Trojan Malware Disguised as Tools
Multiple bot variants like Dragon, JETX, Ocean, Black Turbo, and Formula One are sold via full-fledged websites at prices ranging from ₹999 to ₹5,000. Users are then guided through Telegram channels on how to operate them.
However, a bot file named WinZip, analyzed via VirusTotal, was identified as a Trojan—malware capable of stealing user data.
Railway Ministry Crackdown
In a statement released on June 4, the Ministry of Railways noted that bots accounted for up to 50% of login attempts during the first five minutes of Tatkal bookings. The IRCTC’s anti-bot measures have since led to the suspension of over 2.5 crore fake user IDs.
Additionally, agent bookings are now banned during the first 30 minutes of Tatkal ticket windows for both AC and non-AC categories.
