Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Aug 31: A merchant from Uppinangady lost Rs 1,44,750 after he received a message about winning Rs 5.35 crore in a London-based lottery scheme.

A Rajasthan-based businessman, who owns an electronics shop near the government model higher primary school at Uppinangady, had received a message which announced that he had won a lottery prize of Rs 5.35 crore in a scheme based on cellphone numbers run by a London-based institution. He was asked to pay Rs 19,750 for claiming this prize money. In later days, he received more such messages, and he kept remitting money. The total of such sums totals Rs 1,44,750 so far. After losing money this way, the merchant realized that he was taken for a ride.

The merchant said that he had kept the matter a secret as he believed that he would soon receive the prize money after which he thought he would break this news. He did not file a police complaint either, in order not to become target of ridicule. He, at the same time, has requested people to take cue from this incident and not to fall for such tactics.