Expats are urged to ignore a global scratch card lotto scam which is costing unwary victims millions of pounds, warn police.
The con is sweeping across the Asia Pacific and luring thousands of victims to part with their cash.
Victims are reported in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. They include Bankers, businessmen, policeman and accountants.
The average loss is around £3,500 a victim, although in some cases, the losses are much higher. One victim in New Zealand paid over £100,000 to the fraudsters.
Detectives have traced the source to China from electronic money transfer trails through online services like Western Union; although the cards and brochures posted to victims carry the name and address of a Malaysian travel firm.
Police say the business – Park Lane Hotel – is an innocent front and not part of the lotto con.
Stolen cash has disappeared into ‘multiple accounts’ in China, according to investigators.
How the scam works
New Zealand police estimate scratch card players in the country have spent at least £1 million on the scam which will never be recovered, and fear the figure could be a lot higher as many players may not realise they were scammed or are hesitating to report the crime through embarrassment at being caught out by the crooks.
Police in New Zealand explained how the scam works:
- Victims receive a letter from Malaysia with a brochure and two scratch cards
- When revealed, one says ‘bad luck, try again’ while the other is a winning ticket with a prize of just £100,000
- To claim the prize, the ‘winner’ has to call a phone number in Malaysia
- A helpline asks for the 10-digit number from the card and requests a fee to release the prize
- The winner then received offers to take part in more scams and was harassed for cash by callers from the gang purporting to be lawyers
- Some are asked to sign confidentiality agreements about the lotto cards on the grounds they received the prize in error – but are offered the prize if they pay an administration fee
Scratch card warning
Police warn anyone receiving scratch cards in the post that they are likely to be a scam and to throw them away.
“This is a tragedy that is wiping out the life savings of many people at a stroke,” said a New Zealand police spokesman.
“People who do not trust online cons are falling for the trick because it comes by mail. If anyone gets this letter, just rip it up and throw it in the garbage.”
