Mangaluru: A 42-year-old man allegedly lost Rs 3.81 lakh after unidentified persons promised him an Rs 8 lakh prize in a Kerala lottery and collected money from him in the name of tax payments.
Man receives call claiming lottery win
According to the complaint filed at the CEN Crime Police Station, the victim received a phone call on August 14 from an unidentified person who claimed that he had won Rs 8 lakh in a Kerala lottery.
The caller allegedly told him that he had to pay tax before the prize money could be released. Trusting the claim, the victim agreed to make the payments demanded by the caller.
The accused reportedly continued communicating with him through WhatsApp and shared UPI scanners for making the payments.
Rs 3.81 lakh transferred through UPI
Between August 15 and August 26, the victim allegedly transferred a total of Rs 3,81,300 in several instalments.
The payments were reportedly made through UPI scanners shared by the accused on WhatsApp. The victim continued making the transfers believing that the promised lottery prize would be credited to his account after the tax payments were completed.
However, despite paying the money, he did not receive the promised prize amount.
Fraudsters demand more money
The accused allegedly contacted the victim again and claimed that his lottery prize had doubled. They reportedly demanded that he pay additional tax to receive the increased prize amount.
It was at this stage that the victim became suspicious and realised that he had allegedly been duped.
The man had reportedly waited for the promised prize money to be credited to his account, but no amount was received.
Complaint filed with cybercrime authorities
After realising that he had fallen victim to a suspected cyber fraud, the victim contacted the cybercrime helpline 1930 and reported the incident.
He subsequently approached the CEN Crime Police and lodged a complaint regarding the fraudulent transactions.
Police are expected to investigate the money transfers and trace the persons involved in the alleged scam.
Public advised to be cautious
The incident highlights the growing use of fake lottery and prize offers by cybercriminals to deceive people into transferring money.
Fraudsters often claim that victims have won large amounts and subsequently demand payments in the name of taxes, processing charges, verification fees or other formalities.
People are advised to remain cautious about unsolicited calls promising lottery winnings or other financial rewards. They should avoid transferring money to unknown accounts or scanning UPI payment codes sent by unidentified persons.
Anyone who suspects that they have been targeted by an online financial fraud should report the matter immediately through the cybercrime helpline 1930.