To establish credibility, the fraudster asked the victim to arrive near Gate 10 of the Chinnaswamy Stadium. (File Photo)As demand for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) match tickets soars this IPL season, cybercriminals are cashing in — through fake websites, Instagram impersonators, and elaborate tricks that have already cost victims lakhs of rupees.ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEOIn one case, a Bengaluru-based techie, 25, lost Rs 1.46 lakh to a fraudster who contacted him on Instagram. According to a police officer, a person claiming to be a senior supervisor at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium ticket counter promised VIP benefits – match tickets, food coupons, and extra ID cards for friends – for the high-demand RCB-CSK fixture scheduled on Sunday.To establish credibility, the fraudster asked the victim to arrive near Gate 10 of the stadium and even sent a fake email confirmation. In a First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Mahadevapura police station, the victim stated that he agreed to buy two tickets for Rs 3,700 each. But the fraudster demanded more money for security deposits, assuring to refund it later. Running out of his own transaction limits, the victim began using his mother’s bank account – eventually transferring a total of Rs 1.46 lakh, but no tickets arrived.Talking about a separate but related fraud, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Electronic City) M Narayana Saturday said that a fake website spoofing to be RCB’s official ticketing platform had duped multiple users ahead of Sunday’s clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The fraudulent site displayed convincing details — “M Chinnaswamy Stadium Bengaluru, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, IPL 2026 tickets on sale” — redirected users to payment gateways, allowed them to select seats and complete transactions, and then immediately disabled the link once payments were made.Three victims have filed complaints at Hulimavu police station, reporting losses of Rs 7,196, Rs 11,991, and Rs 7,497, respectively. A cyber fraud case has been registered, the police have moved to block the accounts involved, and have requested social media platforms to take down related content.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:BCCI IPLRCB