Pune Engineer Duped Of ₹39 Lakh In Online Betting Scam Via Fake Gaming Platform
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A 30-year-old mechanical engineer from Pune was cheated out of nearly ₹39.77 lakh after unknowingly participating in a fraudulent online betting scheme that mimicked a virtual aviation game. Over a span of two months, the victim carried out 310 transactions through various UPI IDs, believing he was placing real bets on a game where users wager on how long a virtual plane would stay in flight before crashing.
The scam began when the victim received promotional messages from both Indian and foreign numbers, offering a chance to win big on a betting platform. Interested, he clicked on a provided link, registered on the platform, and was assigned login credentials. He was then instructed to place bets ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹15,000.
To lure him further, the fraudsters credited small amounts as “winnings” after a few bets, creating a false sense of trust and success. Encouraged by these returns, the engineer continued to play, unaware that he was sending money to multiple mule accounts.
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The game in question used a risky mechanic where users watched a rising number represented by a virtual aircraft. Players had to “cash out” before the aircraft “crashed.” The longer they waited, the higher the payout — but if the aircraft dropped before cashing out, the entire bet would be lost. Such platforms are often designed with manipulative algorithms to trap users into continued play.
When the victim eventually tried to withdraw his accumulated winnings, he faced repeated failures. Realizing he had been conned, he filed a complaint at the Kothrud police station. An FIR has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
