Man Loses Rs.7.73 Lakh in Fake Online Lottery, Gaming Fraud in Hyderabad

The victim was scrolling Facebook on his mobile phone, came across an advertisement related to online gaming, lottery and clicked on it. Within three minutes, he received WhatsApp messages from unknown persons and was directed to the website https://sites.google.com/view/kerala-state-government-live/home, from which he downloaded a gaming application named “Mega Kerala Lottery.”

Believing it to be genuine, he started playing the online game for the past one month to win money by purchasing online lottery tickets. As instructed by the accused, he transferred money to the provided accounts using Paytm, credit cards, and bank accounts of his family members and friends.

Though some amounts were initially credited as winnings, subsequently his Bank of India account was frozen, and he realized that he was cheated and lost Rs.7.73 lakh.

In an advisory, the police asked the public to beware of online lottery and gaming advertisements on social media promising easy or guaranteed money. Government or State lotteries do not promote schemes through Facebook ads, WhatsApp messages, or unknown links.

Do not click suspicious links or download mobile applications from unverified websites. Never transfer money to unknown persons or accounts through UPI, wallets, credit cards, or bank transfers. Do not use family members’ or friends’ bank accounts for online gaming or lottery payments.

Initial winnings shown in such apps are fake and used only to gain trust. Never share OTPs, PINs, card details, or internet banking credentials with anyone. Be cautious if asked to pay fees, taxes, or charges to withdraw winnings.

Report suspected frauds to the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or online at cybercrime.gov.in