Stories
Keralam Police Warn Fans of Fake Ticket Scams for India-WI ODI at Greenfield Stadium
- •Keralam police issued a warning about online fraudsters selling fake tickets for the India-West Indies first ODI at Greenfield Stadium.
- •Scammers use fake Instagram pages to advertise tickets at attractive prices, directing buyers to WhatsApp for bookings.
- •Fraudsters collect personal details and demand small advance payments, then request additional payments for GST, refundable charges, and verification fees.
- •They threaten to forfeit tickets and initial payments if victims refuse further demands for "transaction processing" or "refund pending" fees.
- •Police advise verifying ticket availability only through official platforms and reporting scams to helpline 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in within one hour.
Key Questions Answered
Fraudsters are using fake Instagram pages to advertise cricket tickets at attractive prices and directing buyers to WhatsApp to make bookings. They collect personal details through bogus booking forms before requesting an initial advance payment. After sending fake order confirmation messages, they demand additional money under pretexts like GST, refundable charges, verification fees, and processing charges.
Police advised the public not to blindly trust sports ticket advertisements on social media and to verify ticket availability solely through official platforms and organizers. People should avoid transferring money directly to WhatsApp numbers found in social media ads or sharing sensitive information like OTPs, UPI PINs, and bank details. Frequent demands for extra money following an initial payment should be treated as warning signs.
Victims who come across fake ticket advertisements or fall prey to such online frauds should report them immediately to the cyber police. Reports can be made through the helpline number 1930 or via the official cybercrime.gov.in website, preferably within one hour of the incident.