Secunderabad man cheated of Rs 75 lakh in four years by illegal online betting, casino platforms

Hyderabad: A 32-year-old resident of Secunderabad was allegedly cheated of Rs 75 lakh over four years after falling prey to illegal online betting and casino platforms that lured him with promises of easy and assured profits, the Cyber Crimes Police, Hyderabad, said.

How the fraud began

According to the complaint, the victim was first contacted in 2021 through a WhatsApp message from persons posing as operators of an online betting platform.

They promoted betting games such as cricket betting, Teen Patti and online casino games, including a so-called ‘Five Star Cricket Aviator Flight Game,’ claiming guaranteed profits. To gain his confidence, the victim was asked to make an initial deposit of Rs 10,000, following which he received a small profit.

Encouraged by this, he went on to deposit around Rs 10 lakh in multiple transactions during 2021 into various bank accounts shared by the operators.

Eventually, he lost the entire amount and stopped participating.

Fresh approach, bigger losses

In March 2022, the same fraudsters contacted the victim again, persuading him to play on another betting platform by offering a lower minimum deposit. Trusting their assurances, he resumed betting.

Between 2021 and 2025, the victim deposited a total of Rs 75 lakh through multiple transactions using bank accounts, UPI IDs, QR codes and cash deposit machines, as instructed by the accused, across several betting websites.

Ultimately, he was unable to withdraw any money and suffered heavy financial losses.

Actions by betting organisers can be termed cheating

Cyber Crime officials stated that the actions of the accused constitute cheating, online fraud and illegal online betting. Based on the complaint, a case has been registered and investigations have been launched to identify and trace the operators behind the betting platforms.

Public advisory by Cyber Crime police

The Cyber Crimes Wing has issued a strong public advisory cautioning citizens against illegal online betting and casino websites and apps.

Fraudsters often contact victims via WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS or social media, promising easy and guaranteed profits.

Initial small profits are shown to gain trust, after which victims are induced to invest larger sums.

Such platforms are illegal and unregulated, and withdrawals are usually blocked once large amounts are deposited.

Citizens are advised not to believe claims of assured returns or ‘winning tricks.’

Bank details, UPI IDs, QR codes, OTPs, passwords and KYC documents should never be shared with unknown persons or betting platforms.

Unknown links and betting apps sent through messages or social media should be avoided.

Participation in online betting can also attract legal consequences.

How to report cyber fraud