As the cricketing world eagerly awaits the clash between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 18, fans are pulling out all the stops to secure their spot in the stadium. Amidst the excitement, one fan, Samarth (name changed), has found himself embroiled in a distressing situation. He recently fell prey to cybercrooks who swindled him out of Rs 3 lakh under the guise of selling him three tickets for the highly anticipated match.

As per a report by the Times of India, Samarth’s unfortunate loss occurred between May 10 and 11 as he attempted to procure tickets for the May 18 match. It appears that these tickets were being sold through unauthorised channels, highlighting the prevalence of black market sales in such high-profile events.

A fan’s misfortune unfolds

Samarth, residing in Sudhama Nagar, stumbled upon an advertisement on Instagram posted by the profile ‘ipl_2024_tickets__24.’ The advertiser, who identified himself as Padma Sinha Vijay Kumar, purported to possess tickets for the RCB vs CSK match. Kumar asserted that he held the official franchise for selling IPL tickets and provided Samarth with a photo of an Aadhaar card along with his mobile number, 9155026674. Assuring Samarth of e-tickets post-payment, Kumar initiated the transaction process.

Samarth, a Sudhama Nagar local, found himself lured by an Instagram ad from the handle ‘ipl_2024_tickets__24.’ The advertiser, presenting as Padma Sinha Vijay Kumar, claimed to hold the keys to tickets for the RCB vs CSK match. With an air of authority, Kumar declared himself the authorized dealer for IPL tickets, even providing a snapshot of an Aadhaar card and the phone number 9155026674. He promised Samarth e-tickets upon payment, setting the transaction wheels in motion.

Despite sending ₹7,900 for three tickets, the victim received no e-tickets in return. When questioned, the accused cited technical issues and requested an additional ₹67,000. Believing promises of refunds alongside the tickets, the victim continued to send money until the fraudster demanded more. It was only then that the victim sought police assistance, having lost a total of ₹3 lakh in the scam.

Seeking justice

Authorities have filed a case under IPC Section 420 and the Information Technology Act. Law enforcement officials emphasized that tickets for matches held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium are exclusively sold through the official RCB website and stadium counters.