The Kerala police have issued a directive to Google, requesting the removal of apps from the Play Store that are fraudulently selling online lottery tickets under the name of the state's official lottery. A similar notice was sent to Meta about removing fake lottery advertisements from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, said the State Police Media Centre (SPMC) in a release yesterday.
According to a report by the news agency PTI, these actions follow extensive cyber patrolling conducted by the Kerala Police, which uncovered a significant scam involving 60 fraudulent lottery apps, 25 Facebook accounts, and 20 websites. These platforms were found to be promoting and selling counterfeit lottery tickets, deceiving users into believing they were purchasing legitimate tickets from the state lottery. The police's proactive measures aim to curb this widespread online fraud and protect consumers from falling victim to these scams.
In a press release, the SPMC stated that fake advertisements were circulating under the names 'Kerala Summer Season Dhamaka' and 'Kerala Megamillion Lottery' on various social media platforms like Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp, falsely claiming that these lotteries are run by the Kerala government and available for online purchase.
The Kerala police reported that individuals received phone messages claiming that the Kerala government is operating an online lottery service, where paying a nominal amount of ₹40 could potentially win them up to ₹12 crore. After making the payment, recipients were sent an image of a lottery ticket via WhatsApp.
The scammers then send fake results, convincing victims that their lottery tickets have won them ₹5 lakhs. Following this, the scammers call the victims, pretending to be government officials, and ask them to transfer money for 'stamp duty' and 'GST' to claim the lottery amount. "Victims are given fabricated documents and videos to make each step appear credible," said the SPMC release. Additionally, the scammers force victims to pay even more, claiming it is necessary to release RBI holding on the winning amount.
The police have urged the public to not fall prey and to be careful of such fraudulent activities like online lottery scams. In case of suspecting such financial fraudulent activities, they should immediately call on 1930.
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