Hyderabad Businessman Defrauded of Rs 73 Lakh in Elaborate Online Betting Scam
A 33-year-old businessman from the AC Guards area in Hyderabad has filed a formal complaint with the Hyderabad Cyber Crime police, alleging that he was swindled out of more than Rs 73 lakh by a sophisticated online betting racket. This criminal operation utilized a network of mirror websites to perpetrate the fraud over an extended period.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
In his complaint submitted on February 14, the victim recounted how fraudsters, masquerading as tele-callers and customer support representatives for an online portal called 'BetInExchange', enticed him into placing bets on various activities. These included cricket matches, teen patti, and casino games, with the fraudulent activity spanning from January 2025 to January 2026.
The complainant initially deposited Rs 20,001 and reportedly earned a profit of Rs 5,000, which he said convinced him of the platform's legitimacy. Over the subsequent 13 months, he transferred nearly Rs 1 crore to multiple bank accounts, UPI IDs, and cash deposit machines provided by the operators. This substantial sum included funds withdrawn from his wife's bank accounts.
Escalation and Blocked Access
According to the victim, the accused initially credited over Rs 20 lakh to his betting account. However, when he attempted to withdraw larger amounts, his access was abruptly blocked. He was then redirected to allied websites such as BetInExchange247, FunInExchange, FunInMatch 360, and Funinmatch555, with promises that he could recover his losses through these new platforms.
The victim alleged that each time a website was blocked or shut down, the fraudsters seamlessly redirected users to new mirror domains, thereby continuing the deceptive scheme. "Due to the fraudulent betting sites, I suffered a loss of 73 lakh," he stated in his official complaint.
Legal Action and Police Response
Based on the detailed complaint, the Hyderabad police have registered a case under multiple legal provisions. These include Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, which pertain to identity theft and cheating by personation using computer resources. Additionally, charges have been filed under Sections 318(4) for cheating and 319(2) for cheating by personation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as Sections 3 and 4 of the Telangana Gaming Act. The case was officially registered on Saturday, marking a significant step in the investigation into this organized cyber crime.
This incident highlights the growing threat of online betting scams in India, particularly through the use of mirror websites that evade detection. Authorities are urging the public to exercise extreme caution when engaging in online betting activities and to report any suspicious behavior to cyber crime units immediately.
