IRCTC Battles Tatkal Ticket Scams as Bots and Black Market Exploit Booking System

Bots account for nearly 50% of login attempts in the first five minutes of Tatkal bookings, blocking genuine users from securing tickets. 

As millions of passengers across India rely on Tatkal ticket booking for last-minute train travel, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) finds itself battling a massive cyber fraud operation. A growing network of black market operators is exploiting the Tatkal booking system using bots, fake Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC IDs, and automation tools—making it nearly impossible for genuine users to secure confirmed seats.

According to recent investigations, over 40 scam groups operating on platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp are actively selling pre-verified IRCTC user IDs for around ₹360 each. These IDs are linked to real Aadhaar numbers, which the IRCTC requires for Tatkal bookings, thereby bypassing safeguards intended to prevent fraud. These groups have turned what was meant to be a lifeline for urgent travelers into a highly organized cybercrime ecosystem.

How the IRCTC Tatkal Scam Works?

These black market operators deploy bots and custom scripts that flood the IRCTC servers during the critical first few minutes after Tatkal bookings open—between 10 AM and 12 PM for most trains. As per the Ministry of Railways, up to 50% of login attempts during this time are generated by automated bots, leaving legitimate users unable to access the booking system in time.

The bots rapidly fill in passenger details, bypass CAPTCHA checks, and complete payments using saved wallets—far faster than any human can operate. The confirmed tickets are then sold at inflated prices through private channels.

Impact on Genuine Travelers and IRCTC’s Response

This growing cyber scam in Tatkal ticket booking severely undermines public trust in India’s digital rail ticketing system. Honest travelers are forced to compete with automated systems, often losing out on critical travel opportunities. In response, IRCTC and Indian Railways have launched a multi-pronged crackdown, involving real-time monitoring, AI-based fraud detection, and stricter checks on Aadhaar-linked user IDs.

However, experts stress the need for stronger cybersecurity measures, user education, and law enforcement collaboration to dismantle this organized racket.