Despite the Gauhati High Court’s directive aimed at curbing lottery-related frauds, scammers are finding new ways to trick people.

In a fresh incident in Guwahati, a fraudster started selling fake lottery tickets labeled as "Discount Offer, Not a Lottery" to avoid detection and legal action. 

According to sources, locals in city’s Basistha area apprehended a man involved in this scam, who had been peddling fake lottery tickets under the pretense of offering discounts on lucrative prizes. The accused, identified as Mizanur Rahman, was caught while attempting to sell tickets, priced at Rs 300 each, claiming they would grant the buyers a chance to win a car and other valuable items.

Rahman’s fraudulent pitch included promises of grand rewards, which attracted several unsuspecting individuals in the area.

The situation took a turn when vigilant residents, suspecting foul play, confronted Rahman. Upon interrogation, it was revealed that there were no actual prizes or vehicles linked to the tickets. Instead, the accused would lure the buyers to Jalukbari, where he promised the delivery of the prizes, only to disappear once they reached the destination.

Rahman was later apprehended by the said locals who were scammed.

He confessed that he had found the tickets while scavenging for discarded items in a dump. He stated that he stumbled upon a batch of tickets and decided to use them to carry out the scam. According to him, he had already sold approximately 20 tickets using this method before being caught.

The investigation also revealed that Rahman had been operating the scam for some time, using different locations to avoid detection. His tactic of labeling the tickets as discount offers, rather than lotteries, was a deliberate attempt to evade the law.

The locals who apprehended Rahman have urged the police to thoroughly investigate the matter, as it is suspected that more individuals might be involved in similar scams.