Bogus site uses photo of Hong Kong leader to trick lottery losers

Sep 19, 2011, 6:50 GMT

Hong Kong - An online company which fraudulently claims to have the backing of Hong Kong's leader in its work to help mainland Chinese gamblers who have fallen victim to lottery scams was being investigated by police Monday.

The website - www.998009.com - uses a picture of Chief Executive Donald Tsang with the Hong Kong emblem and claims he has given it his approval, along with other officials, to look into scams involving the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Mark Six Lottery.

The site targets people who have lost money on Mark Six Lottery scams through illegal betting organizations. It claims to be able to secure a refund of money lost for a 10 per cent recovery fee paid in advance in cases involving 1,000 Hong Kong dollars (128 US dollars) or more.

It also says those who have been cheated out of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars or more will be given tips to win the next lottery.

Both Tsang's office and the Jockey Club have said they have no connection with the website.

Gambling is illegal in China, but millions of Chinese yuan are believed to be placed every week on Hong Kong's Mark Six Lottery via illegal gambling operations.

There is also a thriving industry of publications which offer tips on how to win the lottery.

A study by a Hong Kong anthropologist published in 2009, discovered many Chinese gamblers believe the winning numbers are picked months in advance and that coded tips on the numbers are leaked out in advance via the media and television.

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