More lottery scams reported this year
73 cases reported in first three months of this year
Published on Apr 30, 2015 5:49 AM
By Amir Hussain
When 64-year-old Madam Leela found a flier at her door last September, she called the number - not realising it would cost her $200,000 and see her become one of a rising number of people duped by a lottery scam.
The flier was advertising a "religious master" who claimed he could change fortunes, and Madam Leela believed she needed help.
A decade ago, she was retrenched from her factory job of 36 years. Her husband died of a heart attack that same year. She had to sell off her five-room HDB flat to settle debts, and from then on lived in rented units.
The "religious master" who answered her phone call told her that her date of birth was responsible for her ill luck. "He said he would do prayers for me," said Madam Leela, who has no children.
