Cyber police warn fans of fake India-West Indies ODI ticket scams on social media

Cyber Police have issued a formal warning to cricket fans about fake India-West Indies ODI ticket scams circulating on social media platforms ahead of the first ODI scheduled for September 27, 2026, at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram.

The warning was issued on September 25, 2026, as demand for match tickets intensified in the days leading up to the fixture. Fraudsters are operating through fake Instagram pages and WhatsApp to collect personal details from unsuspecting fans and execute multi-stage payment scams targeting supporters eager to attend the Sunday fixture.

The scam follows a structured pattern. Once a fan expresses interest in purchasing tickets through these fraudulent channels, the scammers demand a series of payments under different pretexts, including GST charges, refundable security deposits, verification fees and processing charges. Victims are then threatened with losing both their tickets and all prior payments if they refuse to comply with each successive demand, pressuring them into sending more money.

How does the multi-stage ticket scam work?

The fraud begins when fans encounter what appear to be legitimate ticket-selling accounts on Instagram or receive unsolicited messages through WhatsApp. These accounts mimic official pages and use cricket-related branding to appear credible to supporters who are unfamiliar with authorised ticketing channels.

After an initial payment is made, the scammer introduces additional charges one at a time, framing each as a mandatory step before the ticket can be released. The use of terms such as GST, refundable charges and verification fees is designed to make the demands appear routine and official. Fans who question the process are threatened with forfeiting all money already paid, which compels many to continue sending funds.

The scam is therefore not a single transaction but a deliberate sequence of escalating demands intended to extract as much money as possible from each victim. Cyber Police have specifically cautioned fans never to send money to WhatsApp numbers sourced from social media advertisements and never to share OTP, UPI PIN or bank details with any party claiming to sell match tickets through these channels.

What should fans do if they encounter or fall victim to a scam?

Cyber Police advise fans to purchase tickets exclusively through official platforms and verified organiser announcements. The Kerala Cricket Association and its official ticketing partners remain the only authorised sources for India-West Indies ODI tickets for the Thiruvananthapuram fixture.

Anyone who has already been defrauded is urged to report the incident to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or file a complaint at https://cybercrime.gov.in as quickly as possible, ideally within one hour of the incident. Prompt reporting improves the chances of tracing the transaction and limiting further financial loss.

Fans who come across suspicious Instagram pages or WhatsApp numbers offering match tickets are also encouraged to report those accounts directly to the respective platforms. Doing so helps prevent other supporters from being targeted in the days remaining before the September 27 fixture at Greenfield International Stadium.