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Bengaluru woman falls for ‘Kerala lottery’ trap, loses ₹11.8 lakh to scammers posing as cops
To "process" the lottery winnings, the fraudsters asked the Bengaluru woman to pay ₹19,190 as initial processing fees.
A homemaker from western Bengaluru lost ₹11.80 lakh to cyber fraudsters who impersonated lottery executives and later posed as Delhi police officers in a sophisticated scam that unfolded over several weeks.
The victim, said the fraud began when she received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number informing her she had won ₹8 lakh in a Kerala state lottery. The scammers sent her a link to a fake website (keralattorywinner.com) to make their claim appear credible.
(Also Read: Karnataka sees hundreds of cybercrime cases in one day, Bengaluru reports most: A deep dive - Report)
To "process" the lottery winnings, they asked her to pay ₹19,190 as initial processing fees, followed by another ₹26,400 in additional charges. Believing the claim was legitimate, she complied, Deccan Herald reported.
The scam escalated when another fraudster, pretending to be a Delhi police officer, contacted her. He claimed that the transaction was under legal scrutiny and that she needed to transfer funds to prove her innocence and complete the verification process. Out of fear and confusion, the woman ended up transferring a total of ₹11.80 lakh to nine different bank accounts, including those in UCO Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and Axis Bank.
She later filed a complaint with the West Division Cybercrime Police on August 12, and an investigation is currently underway. Authorities are examining bank records to trace the flow of money and identify the suspects involved.
“A crime like this doesn't happen overnight. The fraudsters maintained constant communication with the victim, using fear and fake identities to manipulate her,” a senior police officer said. He also reminded the public that lotteries are banned in Karnataka, urging residents to stay vigilant and avoid falling for similar scams.
Karnataka cyber crimes
Earlier in August, Karnataka police reported a sudden surge in cases linked to a sophisticated phone scam involving fake courier calls, remote access to mobile phones, and fraudulent payment requests. In just 24 hours, hundreds of victims, primarily from Bengaluru, came forward, many left financially devastated after unknowingly granting scammers full control of their phones and access to personal data, payment apps, and contact networks.
(Also Read: Bengaluru police bust cybercrime racket offering fake legal services to fraud victims)
