Hyderabad woman loses over Rs. 7.5 lakh in Kerala lottery scam

Hyderabad: A 54-year-old female government employee from Hyderabad fell victim to a Kerala lottery scam, losing a total of ₹7,55,220.

On April 7, 2025, the victim received a phone call from an individual claiming to represent the "Kerala Lottery" using the phone number 8436116937. The caller informed her that a lottery was being held that day, with results to be announced by 2:00 PM. Following this, the victim purchased a lottery ticket via an online payment through WhatsApp to the same number.

Later, the fraudster informed her that she had won a prize of ₹5,00,000 on ticket number KL324441. However, she was told that she needed to pay taxes upfront to claim the prize. The fraudster then sent a link to the victim’s mobile number, instructing her to confirm the ticket number as a winner. A letter, supposedly from "Kerala Lottery," asked the victim to send money multiple times to cover various taxes. Following the instructions, she transferred funds to different accounts on several dates, ultimately losing ₹7,55,220.

 Public Advisory:

Citizens are warned to be cautious of fraudsters promoting fake Kerala government lottery schemes, especially on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or interacting with unknown numbers. Genuine government lotteries do not ask for advance payments or taxes before releasing prize money.

Always verify lottery claims through the official Kerala State Lotteries website or government sources. Report such frauds immediately to the nearest police station, call 1930, or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in. For cyber fraud emergencies, contact or WhatsApp 8712665171.