Lottery Scams and Illegal Websites Surge... Warning Signs for Public Interest Funds

Impersonation Scams Using the Lottery Commission and Donghaeng Lottery Double in Three Years
Ahn Do-gul: "Trust in Lottery Funds Undermined... Urgent Action Needed"

Ahn Do-gul, member of the Democratic Party of Korea.

The surge in illegal lottery scams and similar websites has raised alarms about the security of national public interest funds.

According to data on "Lottery Scam and Illegal Website Reports" submitted by Ahn Do-gul, member of the Democratic Party of Korea (Gwangju Dongnam-eul), to the Ministry of Economy and Finance on October 23, a total of 547 lottery-related scam reports were filed as of August this year. This figure has increased 1.88 times in just three years.

Last year, lottery sales reached a record high of 7.3348 trillion won, but at the same time, the number of promotional scams impersonating the Lottery Commission and Donghaeng Lottery had already surpassed last year's total (334 cases) by August, reaching 348 cases. Additionally, partnership promotional scams soared to 68 cases, a 2.6-fold increase compared to the previous year, indicating that various deceptive tactics targeting the public are rapidly spreading.

The most serious issue is the proliferation of illegal websites that exploit legitimate lottery draw results to allow separate betting. Over the past two years, the number of reports has surged from 16 to 131 cases, an increase of approximately 8.2 times.

These illegal websites ignore the Lottery Commission's daily purchase limit of 100,000 won, encourage unlimited participation, and maximize users' gambling tendencies and addiction by offering excessive winnings and payout rates.

Ahn expressed concern, stating, "Not only are there impersonation scams deceiving and harming the public, but also illegal activities that exploit legitimate lottery draw results to lure people with unlimited betting and high returns are spreading simultaneously and rapidly."

Lotteries are more than just entertainment; a significant portion of the trillions of won in annual sales is converted into funds used for various public interest projects, such as housing stability for low-income groups, youth development, and the promotion of culture and the arts. Ahn emphasized, "These illegal activities undermine public trust and pose a serious threat to the foundation of public interest funds," urging the government to take proactive measures.

Ahn stressed, "The government must not remain passive as it currently does. The Lottery Commission must take the lead in establishing a constant cooperative system with related agencies such as the police, the Korea Communications Commission, and financial authorities. It should regularly compile and release statistics on the scale of illegal websites and types of damages, expand dedicated organizations and personnel, and promptly implement effective preventive measures such as strengthening online monitoring of illegal sites."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.