Hyderabad: Senior citizen duped of Rs 3.18 lakh in fake Kerala lottery scam
The victim clicked on a social media advertisement which redirected him to a WhatsApp number
By Newsmeter Network
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Hyderabad: A 76-year-old retired employee from the city was duped of over Rs 3.18 lakh after he purchased lottery tickets from the Kerala Government, which he came across on social media platforms.
The victim clicked on a social media advertisement. It redirected him to a WhatsApp number. Later, the fraudster contacted him via WhatsApp, explaining that a lottery draw was taking place in Kerala, an event usually conducted annually by the Kerala Government, and persuaded the victim to purchase tickets.
Trusting the fraudster, the victim bought three tickets (ticket numbers: KL 624831, KL 336699, and KL 784212). After a few days, the victim received a message claiming that two of his tickets had been picked and that he had won lottery amounts of Rs 5,00,000 and Rs 12,00,000, respectively.
Subsequently, the fraudster, contacting the victim from different numbers, informed him that the prize money could not be deposited into his account unless he first paid certain charges, such as refundable tax and other fees.
The fraudster assured him that these amounts would be refunded along with the prize money. Believing the fraudster, the victim transferred money on multiple occasions. However, when they later demanded additional payments, the victim refused to pay further. Eventually, the fraudsters stopped responding to him. Realizing that he had been scammed, the victim filed an online complaint seeking help.
Public Advisory:
- Beware of fraudsters actively targeting citizens by advertising fake Kerala government lottery schemes, particularly through social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or engaging with unknown WhatsApp numbers.
- Never trust lottery schemes advertised online, especially those asking for advance payments. No government lottery will ask you to pay tax etc.
- Verify the authenticity of any lottery with the official Kerala State Lotteries website or official government sources.
- Remember no genuine lottery requires winners to pay any charges before receiving prize money.
- Report immediately to the nearest police station. Call 1930 and visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.
- In case of any emergency of cyber fraud, please call or WhatsApp 8712665171.
