Out of luck: Lottery scammer busted at Phuket fair
A brazen fraudster tried her luck at scamming thousands of revellers at Phuket’s new year fair—only to find herself caught red-handed by police in the early hours of the morning today, January 2.
Phuket City Police swooped in on 45 year old Kritporn Butlo near the central stage of the Saphan Hin Good Things fair around 12.30am. The suspect was found clutching nine fake government lottery tickets, a shoulder bag stuffed with them, and 1,540 baht in ill-gotten gains from her shady sales.
“Kritporn used forged lottery tickets to swindle unsuspecting victims. She’s now facing charges for using fake official documents.”
The annual fair, which dates back decades and was once known as the Red Cross Fair, attracts thousands nightly with its buzzing atmosphere, live music, and tantalising food stalls. The highlight? Lottery draws supporting the Phuket Red Cross Society’s community projects.
But for Kritporn, the gamble didn’t pay off. After her arrest, she was whisked to Phuket City Police Station to face questioning and legal action, reported The Phuket News.
In related news, a woman from the Nakhon Phanom province found herself in a distressing situation when she discovered that her lottery tickets were past their valid date, just as she was preparing to celebrate her supposed win with a grand meal. This incident has raised concerns about fraudulent sellers in the area.
A 53 year old resident of Saen Phan subdistrict, Thatu Phanom district, Nakhon Phanom province, bought two lottery tickets with a friend. These tickets were intended to be cashed in after the draw on November 16.
In other news, a woman in Rayong bought lottery tickets, hoping for a windfall, only to find out they were from a previous draw. The woman had bought two tickets, numbered 747830, anticipating the excitement of the lottery results. Upon checking her tickets, she was shocked to discover they were not winners. Further inspection revealed that these tickets were for the December 1 draw, not the one on December 16.
