Hyderabad man loses ₹7.7 lakh in online lottery scam
India
A 43-year-old Hyderabad resident lost over ₹7.7 lakh after clicking a Facebook ad for a fake online lottery that used Kerala-themed branding.
He was guided to download a bogus "Mega Kerala Lottery" app, where scammers lured him into buying tickets and transferring money through Paytm, credit cards, and even his friends' accounts.
How the scam worked & what police say
The fraudsters built trust by showing small fake winnings and his bank account was later frozen.
Realizing he'd been tricked, he later reported it.
Police are investigating and warn that real government lotteries never use social media ads or random links—those early "wins" are just bait.
They urge everyone to avoid suspicious links or apps and to report scams at 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
Stay sharp online!