Number may be up for 'lottery fraudsters'

Police are investigating a gang of 11 alleged scammers who they believe sold "must win" lottery numbers to victims for more than 2.9 million yuan, according to Beijing Morning Post.

Allegedly led by a 35-year-old man from Hunan province, surnamed Yi, the gang registered two companies in Beijing in 2008 and started advertising that they had access to "must win" lottery numbers thanks to an "expert squad" that worked in the welfare lottery center, said investigators.

People wanting a short-cut to wealth allegedly forked over 6,000 yuan each in "information fees", getting in return numbers that were produced using computer software that cost the gang just 90 yuan.