False Lotto claims '˜could result in jail sentence'

Lottery bosses have warned that they will take action against people who try to con them into paying out a massive £33 million jackpot.

Lottery bosses have warned that false claims could lead to prosecutions. Picture: Getty Images

Hundreds of people have come forward claiming to have a lost, damaged or stolen ticket with the six winning numbers, including grandmother Susanne Hinte, who said she put hers through the wash.

Camelot said it was considering each claim on a “case-by-case basis” after confirming the winning ticket was bought in Worcester. But the lottery operator warned it would act if it believed someone had “intentionally attempted to defraud the National Lottery”.

A Camelot spokeswoman said: “With prizes of this size, it’s perfectly ­normal to receive lots of claims from people who genuinely think that they may have mislaid or thrown away what they believe was the winning ticket. That’s what we’re seeing now, and we are looking into all of these claims.

“If we believe that somebody has intentionally attempted to defraud the National Lottery, then, just like any other company, we reserve the right to take whatever action we consider is appropriate.”

John Plimmer, a former detective at West Midlands Police, said anyone caught making a fraudulent claim could face jail.