CloudSEK exposes IPL 2026 betting scam using AI deepfakes
Cybersecurity firm CloudSEK has uncovered a large-scale betting scam targeting IPL 2026 fans, with more than 1,200 domains actively promoting illegal betting platforms.
Scammers used AI deepfakes, cloned sites, and even hacked government portals to trick people into joining illegal betting platforms.
Between May 2025 and May 2026, users lost big: around ₹4.65 crore was withheld from more than 9,300 rejected withdrawal requests.
Admin panel served 25+ betting sites
Fraudsters made convincing deepfake videos of Indian cricketers and digital creators to lure people on Instagram and Telegram.
They boosted their sites' visibility by sneaking links onto official government pages and ran everything through an admin panel connecting over 25 betting sites.
The operation also used business accounts as money mules and shady tactics like black hat SEO, spam texts, and fake loan apps to grab user data.
CloudSEK has alerted relevant stakeholders about this evolving scam network.