The Indian Premier League (IPL) has millions of fans, and everyone wants to join the trend, including internet fraudsters and scammers. Greetings from the Scammer Season brought on by IPL excitement.

Experts from the international cybersecurity and digital privacy firm Kaspersky have identified three types of online scams in response to the IPL fever, which has caused millions of fans to turn to the internet for information and ticketing. The company issued a warning to Indian cricket fans on Tuesday to avoid falling for scams that prey on the popular cricket event.

Kaspersky claims that scammers are using a variety of scam techniques to trick people by taking advantage of the popularity of the 18th season of the Indian Premier League, which began on March 23 and is now being played at different locations around the country.

To assist unsuspecting individuals avoid being duped, Kaspersky has made visual proof of some of these fraudulent sites available.

Three IPL-related strategies are being used by hackers to entice Premier League fans, according to experts at the multinational cybersecurity and digital firm. Scam Websites impersonating ticket listings, streaming websites that lead to further frauds, and advertising efforts that promise free IPL tickets are the three types of scams.

Of these three fraudulent acts, “scam pages are disguised as ticket listings” is the most prominent.

Researchers from Kaspersky have discovered websites that feign to offer IPL match tickets. Fraudsters use branding, logos, and realistic-looking interfaces to develop websites that imitate legitimate ticketing services. Typically, victims are requested to pay with a bank card and are not given the option of a refund. Additionally, tickets are never supplied after payment, which is customary in these schemes, according to the business.

Cybercriminals are also using streaming websites to lure IPL fans.

“A page identified by Kaspersky claims to offer free live streaming of IPL matches but is actually designed to redirect users to various other scam or phishing pages that may steal personal information, infect devices with malware, or trick users into paying for non-existent goods or subscriptions,” the press release stated.

Cybersecurity experts have also uncovered another fraud in which rogue URLs pose as a marketing effort that promises free IPL tickets.

Users are asked to provide their phone numbers as part of the procedure. In order to supposedly unlock the following stage for ticket delivery, prospective victims are also prompted to forward the link to friends and groups on WhatsApp. These kinds of scams often seek to get phone numbers for phishing attacks or for selling on the dark web. They may also make money by displaying advertisements and influencing traffic, according to the statement.

“Cricket enthusiasts nationwide are searching for the finest offers on tickets and cricket memorabilia when an event like the IPL 2025 attracts sizable numbers both online and offline. Because of this, they are often the main targets of cybercriminals looking to trick and steal their information and funds. Purshottam Bhatia, Head of market Business for India at Kaspersky, said, “Scammers take advantage of this consumer demand to create a variety of fraudulent schemes and entice consumers.”

“Now, people find it much harder to escape the hazards due to AI-driven phishing schemes. Compared to 2023, our technologies stopped 26% more phishing attempts worldwide in 2024. According to our research, fraud schemes that try to steal money and data will also increase in 2025, therefore customers will need to be more vigilant and take proactive measures to protect their systems,” he said.

In order to assist Indian cricket fans remain secure and steer clear of IPL-related frauds, Kaspersky also released a list of dos and don’ts. They advised installing a trustworthy cybersecurity solution as a precaution.

Experts from Kaspersky also recommended steps that Indian cricket fans might take to safeguard their information and funds from fraudsters during this IPL season. These include avoiding third-party vendors that offer “exclusive” or “discounted” tickets and only purchasing tickets from official channels.

Additionally, fans are cautioned against clicking on “free live streaming” links from unidentified sites and must only utilise licensed IPL streaming providers like JioCinema, Hotstar, or Star Sport.

Fans have been advised to carefully check website URLs since phoney websites sometimes misspell words (for example, “hotstarr.com” instead of “hotstar.com”). Verify HTTPS security at all times.

Additionally, they have been cautioned about submitting financial or personal information on unknown websites. According to the announcement, trustworthy platforms will never need passwords, bank account information, or OTPs in order to verify tickets.

Additionally, fans are cautioned not to download IPL-related applications from illegitimate sources. Before installing any software, look up the developer’s name and read customer reviews.