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$366,000 lost to 'God of Fortune' 4D lottery scams between Jan and Oct: police

The scammer would then suggest that the victims pay a sum of money to
The victims would be contacted via social media platforms and asked to purchase an amulet that supposedly comes with a winning 4D ticket. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

Thirteen reports of 4D lottery scams, involving some $366,000, were received between January and October this year, said the police on Monday (3 December).

In these cases, the victims would be contacted via social media platforms and asked to purchase an amulet that supposedly comes with a winning 4D ticket.

The scammer would then suggest that the victims pay a sum of money to “invite the God of Fortune” to provide winning 4D numbers.

These victims were then informed that someone who had helped them to buy their 4D numbers in Malaysia had won. In order to receive a portion of the winnings, however, the victims would first have to transfer a token sum to Thailand for the deities to bless the money before they received it.

“The scammers would then became uncontactable after the money was transferred,” said the police in a news release.

Tips on avoiding scams

To avoid falling for scams, the police have advised members of the public to adopt the following measures:

  • Don’t be impulsive – Do not fall for the scammers’ tricks. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is;

  • Don’t believe – Ignore the scammers’ messages. Be wary of get-rich-quick offers that ask you to transfer money in return for a greater fortune;

  • Don’t give – Do not transfer money or give out your personal information, credit/debit card details and bank account details to unknown individuals. If you wish to provide any information related to such scams, please call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. If you require urgent Police assistance, please dial “999”.

Those looking to provide information on scams can call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or make an online submission at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.

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