Beware of Lotto Fraudsters – NLA

General News of Monday, April 1, 2019

Source: clbadfmonline.com

2019-04-01

The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has warned the public against the activities and operations of lotto fraudsters, social media fraudsters and illegal lottery operators and agents.

According to the NLA, fraudsters and miscreants of social media use radio, television, online media, newspapers and social media, mainly Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and other communication platforms such as phone calls, SMS and e-mails. to defraud unsuspecting people.

Explaining the activities of these fraudsters, the ALN, in a statement, said the fraudsters had created Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media pages, using pictures and names of the general manager and the ALN staff to defraud people.

"These scammers use clever tactics to convince the incentive public to make money transfers by mobile phone in exchange for winning lotto numbers."

"Lotto fraudsters, largely supported by some illegal operators and lotto agents, have always misinformed the general public that:

1. They have access to the winning NLA lottery numbers before the draw.

2. Customers should not wager on NLA products as they will automatically know the number of machines they have wagered (point-of-sale terminals, POSTs). As a result, the Authority will ensure that these numbers are not drawn. All this information is completely false. "

NLA also warned Alpha Lotto about its activities.

Alpha Lotto would use machines (point-of-sale terminals, POST) and would receive higher commissions than the NLA.

The NLA has stated that it has not allowed Alpha Lotto to use its own machines (point-of-sale terminals, POST) and its own platform to generate branded e-tickets.

"The Alpha POS terminals (Lotos) are illegal and the ALN is taking steps to immediately stop all Alpha Lotto machines," the statement said.

The NLA has warned the public that:

1. The ALN has not authorized nor designated any individual or group of individuals to offer winning lotto numbers to the public, as lotto is a game of chance and it is impossible to predict winning numbers.

2. NLA and its staff have no knowledge and have no control over the results of the draws. The prints take place in a very open and transparent way and are intended for the general public. All Ghanaians are free and invited to attend and participate in the draw at 18:30. every day except Sunday and public holidays.

3. It is absolutely wrong that ALN staff, lottery scammers and social media miscreants have access to the winning lottery numbers of the Authority.

4. The social media pages created by lotto fraudsters and social media scammers using images and the names of the General Manager and the staff of the Authority are completely fraudulent and are intended to defraud gullible Ghanaians and unsuspecting.

5. The Authority's products are sold by authorized retailers (Loto Marketing Companies) using NLA-licensed POS terminals to generate serial e-tickets of the mark as proof of transaction, use to exchange prices if draw.

6. The NLA has not authorized Alpha Lotto or any private lotto operator or agent to use machines (point-of-sale terminals, POSTs) to generate branded electronic tickets parallel to serialized NLA e-tickets . The ALN management is taking steps to terminate all Alpha Lotto machines and any other private lotto operator or agent.

7. The Authority has not yet put its online lottery on the market. As a result, any form of online lottery currently in operation is illegal and is not approved by the AMF.

8. Winning Lotto Numbers can not be disclosed prior to a random draw by the Authority, as no one has access to knowledge and information about the winning Lotto Numbers prior to a draw at any time. done by the Authority.

9. The Authority can not be held liable for losses suffered by unsuspecting persons who are defrauded by these lotto fraudsters, social media fraudsters and illegal operators and lotto agents.

However, the Authority, in collaboration with the relevant security agencies, is taking pragmatic steps to help limit the activities of lotto fraudsters, social media fraudsters and illegal lotto operators and agents.

Finally, ALN respectfully calls on the general public to be more vigilant and stop using the services of lotto fraudsters, social media fraudsters and illegal lotto operators and agents.