Woman duped of over $2,000 while trying to buy 'sure win' 4D number

She thought that she would strike it rich, but she ended up losing over $2,000 in a lottery scam.

The victim, surnamed Su, told Shin Min Daily News that she had chanced upon a Facebook advertisement last Thursday (Feb 29) promising to deliver 'sure win' 4D numbers.

That moment was akin to a blessing of good luck and fortune, said the 67-year-old, who had just quit her job as a kitchen assistant.

She immediately submitted her personal information via the provided link and was contacted by a 'staff member' on WhatsApp that very night.

Their promise of delivering 'sure win' numbers, coupled with picture proof of past customers who had won the lottery, further convinced Su of the agency's legitimacy.

Insider information

That night, the elderly woman transferred the agency $350 for a one-year membership.

On Saturday, Su was contacted by another staff member who informed her that the agency has obtained insider information on the winning numbers.

According to her, punters must pay a deposit of $5,000 to win the first prize, $4,000 to win the second prize and $2,000 to win the third prize.

The deposit amount will be returned later, promised the agency.

Despite her discontent with the instruction, Su's desire to win the lottery won her over, and the woman reportedly paid $2,000 to attain the third prize 'winning' number on Sunday.

'I was greedy for money'

"I was greedy for money and wanted to bet small and win big, so I borrowed $2,000 from a friend," she shared.

The woman told the Chinese paper that the agency had also implied that the 'sure win' third prize number she bought might have a chance of being drawn for the first prize.

She then placed a $100 4D Big bet for the draw happening later that day, reckoning that this bet would bag her at least $49,000 if she won the third prize.

But Su got a rude shock when the results were announced, and she discovered that the numbers she had bet on were not drawn.

Attempts at contacting the scammers proved futile, and the woman later lodged a police report. She subsequently sent a picture of the report to the scammers.

"However, they refused to return the money and even threatened to sue me if I did not withdraw the report," said Su.

The police confirmed to Shin Min that they have received a report and are investigating.

'We can definitely help you win': Scammers

When a Shin Min reporter contacted the scammers to inquire about buying the 'sure win' 4D numbers, the latter reportedly said that it is a must to join their membership to access information on how to win the lottery.

"Our company has dozens of staff and we have helped many people," the scammers were quoted as saying. "We can definitely help you win the lottery."

When pressed for more details, the scammers stressed that the reporter must provide their personal details to access the information and said the agency will contact them via WhatsApp.

According to the Singapore Pools website, the lottery operator is aware of the ongoing scam targeting the public.

Punters who encounter social media posts or messages promising to deliver 'sure win' tips or tickets are advised to ignore the post or delete the message immediately, said Singapore Pools.

Victims who fell for such scams should report it to the police.

ALSO READ: 'Sure win': Man foils online scammer posing as Singapore Pools employee selling winning lottery numbers

lim.kewei@asiaone.com