Hyderabad: With growing interest in betting during the Indian Premier League (IPL), prediction scams are on the rise, and fraudsters are using social media to circulate fake advertisement predictions for trapping innocent people into betting scams.
Several influencers have made false claims, including predictions of toss and the results of games, tricking followers into joining their channels until they are eventually introduced to the betting world.
A total of 494 paid advertisements and 129 social media handles have been blocked by the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police during the last month.
The Hyderabad City Police has warned citizens not to believe any such prediction claims or engage in suspicious web links, as such scams may result in severe monetary damage.
Cybercrime officials from Hyderabad have repeatedly reported betting fraud cases in the city, in which fraudsters make use of online platforms to lure victims. In many instances, the criminals have used schemes like investing and match prediction to trap their victims, mainly through social media.
Recently, a Hyderabad-based individual reportedly lost Rs 1.5 crore in an online betting scam, following which the police booked a case and apprehended two fraudsters involved.
Besides, authorities have also been successful in taking legal actions against betting syndicates, which used numerous SIMs and technology to commit such frauds. As per cybercrime officials, such scams often emerge in significant cricket events, including the IPL.
Besides, authorities added that legal steps would be taken against such individuals. People who become victims or notice any such scam must call 1930 or lodge complaints through their official website.
