"I Won the Lottery"—Posted Proof on Social Media, Only to Have a Friend Claim the Prize First

According to The Financial News, an unusual incident occurred in China where a man, after winning the lottery, posted a verification photo on social media and ended up having his prize money taken by a friend.
On the 18th (local time), foreign media including Singapore’s MustShareNews reported that Mr. A, a resident of Zhejiang Province, China, confirmed his lottery win on the 11th and shared a photo of the ticket in a WeChat group chat to boast to his friends.
The next day, when Mr. A visited the store to claim his prize, he was told, "Someone else has already collected it," prompting him to immediately contact the police.
A police investigation revealed that Mr. B, who saw the lottery ticket photo in the group chat, saved the image and sent it to an employee at a lottery retailer he knew. Mr. B claimed he was on a business trip and requested the prize money be transferred online.
The lottery retailer, familiar with Mr. B as a regular customer and not suspecting anything due to the relatively small prize, processed the claim without hesitation.
Once Mr. A reported the incident and the police began their investigation, Mr. B admitted his wrongdoing and promptly returned the prize money to Mr. A.
This case highlights how the lottery prize claim process can be exploited using only a photo. Sharing images via messenger or social media allows anyone, not just the winner, to attempt to claim the prize, so caution is advised.
The relevant authorities and the Lottery Operator have warned, "The original winning ticket must be kept safe, and sharing photos or scans with third parties can lead to serious fraud risks."
moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter