A spam call is usually a nuisance, but for one housewife in Perak, Malaysia, it turned into a million-dollar lottery ticket. She used the caller’s number to buy a Da Ma Cai ticket and won S$1.8 million — a true story that also shows how to tell a genuine win from a scam.

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Prize won: $1.83 million (S$1.8 million) · Lottery: Da Ma Cai 1+3D · Draw date: 10 September 2025 · Winner: Housewife from Perak, Malaysia · Method: Used spam caller’s number as lottery digits

Quick snapshot

1The Real Story
2How Scam Calls Work
3How to Verify a Win
4Protect Yourself

Seven key facts that frame the story, from the winner’s identity to the source that broke it.

Label Value
Event Lottery win from spam caller
Winner Anonymous housewife, Perak, Malaysia
Prize $1.83 million (S$1.8 million)
Lottery Da Ma Cai 1+3D
Draw date 10 September 2025
Method Used spam caller’s phone number as lottery digits
Source The Straits Times

Do they call you if you win EuroMillions?

Legitimate lottery notification methods

  • Official operators typically notify winners by registered mail, secure online account messages, or through authorised retailers (Singapore Pools (official lottery operator))
  • EuroMillions winners are contacted by the lottery operator via email or post, never by unsolicited phone call (FTC (U.S. consumer protection agency))
  • The Perak housewife bought her ticket at a retail outlet; she did not receive a call about winning (The Straits Times)

Common EuroMillions scam calls

  • Scammers claim you have won a foreign lottery and ask for upfront fees (Singapore Police Force)
  • Callers use official-sounding language and pressure you to act fast (HSBC Singapore (bank’s security guide))
  • They may already know your name or partial address from data breaches (FTC)

The implication: if someone calls claiming you’ve hit a jackpot you never entered, it’s almost certainly a scam. The housewife’s story is the rare exception where a spam call number, not a claim, led to a real win.

What are some signs that a phone call is actually a scammer?

Signs of a fake lottery call

  • Caller demands payment — taxes, fees, or handling charges — before releasing the prize (Singapore Police Force)
  • The prize is in a foreign country or currency you never played (FTC (U.S. consumer protection agency))
  • Caller creates urgency: “You must claim within 24 hours.” (HSBC Singapore (bank’s security guide))

Red flags in caller behavior

  • Caller asks for personal or banking information (Singapore Pools (official lottery operator))
  • Number appears as “unknown” or spoofs a legitimate organisation (Singapore Police Force (via Facebook))
  • Caller cannot provide verifiable details about the lottery or draw (FTC)
The upshot

If a caller asks for money or data to release a prize, it’s a scam. The Perak housewife never paid a cent; she simply bought a ticket using a spam number — the exact opposite of how scammers operate.

The pattern: real lotteries take your money when you buy a ticket. Scammers take your money when they say you’ve won.

How to check if a competition win email is real?

Verification steps for email claims

  • Check the sender’s domain against the official lottery website — not the one in the email (Singapore Pools (official lottery operator))
  • Search the exact wording of the email online; known scams often appear in public databases (ScamShield (Singapore’s anti-scam portal))
  • Never click links in unsolicited winning notifications — they may install malware (FTC (U.S. consumer protection agency))

Official lottery contact methods

  • Singapore Pools advises contacting them directly through the numbers on their website (Singapore Pools)
  • Use the ScamShield helpline 1799 if unsure (ScamShield)
  • The Perak housewife did not receive any email — she walked into a shop with the spam number (The Straits Times)

What this means: verification always starts with the official source, not the message you received. If you didn’t enter a competition, you didn’t win it.

What happens if I answer a spam call and say hello?

Risks of answering spam calls

  • Saying hello confirms your number is active, leading to more spam calls (IMDA (Singapore media authority))
  • Scammers may record your voice for voice-authentication fraud (GovTech (Singapore government technology agency))
  • Engaging with the caller increases the chance of being targeted for sophisticated scams (HSBC Singapore (bank’s security guide))

What scammers can do with your response

  • They can sell your active number to other scammers (FTC (U.S. consumer protection agency))
  • They may attempt to impersonate you using recorded phrases (Singapore Police Force (via Facebook))
  • The safest action is to hang up immediately and block the number (IMDA)

The catch: the Perak winner used the caller ID number, not the conversation, for her lottery ticket. She never engaged with the spammer — a smart move that turned a nuisance into a windfall.

Can a spam call be traced?

Technical limitations of tracing spam calls

  • Many spam calls use spoofed numbers that are difficult to trace to a real identity (Singapore Police Force (via Facebook))
  • Caller ID can be manipulated, so the displayed number may be fake (Singapore Police Force (national law enforcement agency))
  • Mobile apps and carrier services can help block and report spam, but tracing is rarely straightforward (GovTech (Singapore government technology agency))

Reporting spam calls to authorities

  • Singapore residents can report scams via ScamShield or the police hotline 1800-722-6688 (Singapore Police Force)
  • The IMDA anti-scam website provides guidance on blocking and reporting (IMDA (Singapore media authority))
  • For cross-border scams, the FTC accepts reports from consumers worldwide (FTC (U.S. consumer protection agency))

The trade-off: tracing is technically challenging, but reporting gives authorities data to block numbers and warn others. In the Perak case, tracing wasn’t needed — the number was used in a lottery ticket, not a crime.

Three criteria, one clear pattern: if money is requested upfront, it’s not a legitimate win.

Criterion Legitimate Scam Example
Notification method Email, registered post, official account (Singapore Pools) Unsolicited phone call or email claiming win (FTC) “You won EuroMillions — call this number.”
Fees required None (Singapore Police Force) Upfront “processing fee”, “tax” or “insurance” (HSBC Singapore) “Pay S$200 to release your prize.”
Verification path Contact official lottery directly (Singapore Pools) No verifiable path; caller dodges questions (FTC) “Just wire the fee and we’ll send your cheque.”
Warning

Legitimate lotteries never ask for upfront fees to release a prize. If a caller demands payment, it is a scam.

How to verify a lottery win claim

  1. Stay calm and do not provide any information. Hang up or delete the email (ScamShield (Singapore’s anti-scam portal))
  2. Check the official lottery website. If you didn’t buy a ticket, you can’t win — period (Singapore Pools (official lottery operator))
  3. Never pay to receive a prize. Legitimate lotteries deduct nothing from winnings (Singapore Police Force)
  4. Call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 if you’re unsure (ScamShield)
  5. Report the call or email to authorities — even if you didn’t fall for it (IMDA (Singapore media authority))

Managing your finances wisely is also important. See our guide on DBS Credit Card Annual Fee Waiver: How to Get it Waived and Critical Illness Policy Coverage: What It Covers and How It Works.

Timeline of the Perak housewife’s lottery win

  • : Housewife receives spam call from unknown number (The Straits Times)
  • : She uses the spam caller’s number to buy a Da Ma Cai 1+3D ticket (The Straits Times)
  • : Lottery draw takes place; her ticket matches the winning numbers (The Straits Times)
  • : News outlets report the story; police confirm the win is legitimate (The Straits Times)
  • : Scam prevention agencies use story as teachable moment about spam calls (Singapore Police Force)

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Housewife won S$1.8 million using spam caller’s number in Da Ma Cai lottery (The Straits Times)
  • The story was reported by Straits Times and 8days on 18 Sept 2025 (The Straits Times)
  • No fees were paid to claim the prize; it was a legitimate lottery win (The Straits Times)
  • Singapore Police have warned about lottery scams requiring upfront fees (Singapore Police Force)

What’s unclear

  • Whether the spam caller’s number was randomly chosen or from a known scammer database (The Straits Times reports the claim but does not confirm the source of the number)
  • If the housewife had ever played the same numbers before
  • How many other people have tried similar tactics with spam calls
  • The exact identity of the winner has not been officially released

What the sources say

I never imagined a spam caller’s number would lead to such a huge windfall.

— The housewife, as reported by The Straits Times (Singapore news outlet)

The Sept 10 draw on the Da Ma Cai 1+3D lottery in Ipoh was the result of a ticket bought using digits from an unsolicited call.

— The Straits Times report

For lottery players in Singapore, the lesson is clear: never pay to claim a prize, verify through official channels, and maybe — just maybe — save those spam numbers for a laugh, not a ticket. The odds of that irony striking again are astronomical, but the cost of falling for a scam is a certainty.

Additional sources

youtube.com, asean.org

Similar to the Malaysian housewife’s experience, Bocheng Meis $60 million lottery win came through an unexpected call that initially seemed suspicious, highlighting how legitimate lottery notifications can sometimes be mistaken for spam.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I use spam caller numbers for my own lottery tickets?

Yes, you can use any number you choose in most lotteries. The Perak housewife did precisely that — but there’s no guarantee of winning. Lotteries are games of chance, not strategy.

Is it legal to use a spam caller’s number in a lottery?

There is no law preventing you from using any digits on a lottery ticket. The legality issue arises with the spam call itself, which is often illegal in many jurisdictions.

What are the odds of winning the Da Ma Cai lottery?

The odds vary by game. Da Ma Cai 1+3D is a 4-digit game; the exact odds depend on the number of combinations purchased. For a single ticket, they are typically 1 in 10,000.

How do I report a lottery scam in Singapore?

Call the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 or report via scamshield.gov.sg. You can also contact the Singapore Police Force through their hotline 1800-722-6688.

Do I have to pay taxes on lottery winnings from a spam caller in Singapore?

In Singapore, lottery winnings from Singapore Pools are not taxable. However, if you win a foreign lottery, you may be subject to tax in that country. Always consult a tax professional.

What is the difference between a legitimate lottery and a scam?

A legitimate lottery never requires payment to claim a prize, offers verifiable information, and has an official presence. A scam demands fees upfront, creates urgency, and provides no verifiable contact.

Are there other cases of people winning using spam caller numbers?

Occasional anecdotal reports circulate online, but the Perak housewife’s case is one of the few documented by a reliable news source. Most such stories remain unverified.

How can I block spam calls on my phone?

Use built-in call-blocking features on your smartphone, install anti-spam apps (e.g., ScamShield), or contact your carrier for blocking services. IMDA provides a list of approved tools.