Bengaluru, April 3: A 43-year-old woman from Bengaluru fell victim to a scam while attempting to purchase tickets online for the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29. The woman, identified as Ananya (name changed), lost more than Rs 86,000 to the fraudster.

TOI reported that Ananya, an employee of a private firm residing in Duo Heights Layout, Begur, was keen to attend the IPL match with her friends and family. She came across a Facebook account named ‘IPL Cricket Ticket’ and decided to book tickets online. She was given a mobile number and was directed to contact it for further details. Online Scam in Gurugram: Fraudsters Pose as Cops, Dupe Man of Rs 56 Lakh; Investigation Underway.

Upon calling the number, the person on the other end claimed to be an IPL ticket seller. After expressing her desire to purchase about 20 tickets, Ananya was asked to make an initial payment of Rs 8,000 to block the tickets. She complied and transferred the money through a digital payment app. The fraudster later asked her to transfer an additional Rs 11,000 citing other charges. Online Scam in Gujarat: Offering Part-Time Jobs, Two College Dropouts Dupe People of Rs 60 Crore in Three Months; Arrested.

The fraudster managed to trick Ananya into making several more payments, including Rs 14,999 and Rs 21,000 in separate transactions, totaling Rs 86,265. When Ananya demanded the tickets or a refund before making the final transaction of Rs 21,000, the fraudster claimed there was a technical error in receiving payment and assured her of a refund after she made the payment.

When the fraudster asked her for another Rs 16,000, Ananya refused and insisted on receiving the e-tickets or a refund. Realizing she had been scammed, she threatened to report the matter to the police if she wasn’t refunded. The fraudster then disconnected the call.

Ananya filed a police complaint the following day. A case has been registered at Begur police station under the Information Technology Act and IPC Sections 419 and 420. Efforts are underway to freeze the amount in the fraudster’s accounts.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association, when contacted by TOI, stated that tickets are sold online only through RCB’s official website and offline at the counters 2-3 days before the match. They advised people not to fall prey to fraudsters or fake websites claiming to sell tickets online.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2024 11:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).