Includes audio report
By Todd Northrop
A Perth, Australia, woman who won $825 on the Melbourne Cup horse race was shocked to find someone else claimed her winnings before she could, using details from her celebratory Facebook selfie.
Chantelle told radio station Triple M she was thrilled to have won hundreds after picking 101-to-1 shot Cup winner Prince of Penzance.
She posted a selfie of herself posing with the winning ticket to celebrate. "When we found out we naturally took a bit of a selfie to show my friends," Chantelle said.
However, she did not realize that the image of the barcode could be used to claim her winnings at a machine.
When she tried to claim the money, she was told someone else had beaten her to it. "Someone had a pretty good game at filtering my picture and cutting out my barcode and putting it into an automated machine," the distraught winner said.
According to Chantelle, the culprit is likely one of her Facebook friends.
"To the low life who is obviously my friend on Facebook and used my photo to claim our winnings. You're a massive d---. You ruined my day," she wrote on Facebook. "I might need a bit of a Facebook cull now," she added.
She also told Triple M that police had been able to track the claim and are investigating.
The incident served as a warning to social media users posting seemingly innocuous images that may contain sensitive information.
Facebook users were sympathetic and scathing in equal measure once the radio station posted the story online.
"Wow what a sc--bag," wrote one user.
"Wow !!! Who need enemies with a 'friend' like that? [sic]" posted another.
Then came: "stupidity at its worst. Moron."
"Bahahahaha serves her right," read another comment.
AUDIO: Listen to the radio report
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
Thanks to hearsetrax for the tip.
WTF ?
I thought these people had an anonymity option !
I have to agree w/the "serves her right " comment.
Not a good idea to advertise our winnings on any media venue.
Winners should beware and be wise.
The same is also true by telling folks on FB that you & the entire family are going on a 3 weeks vacation to Europe. Unfortunately some have returned to ransacked homes all because of " advertising your joy " to the world.Thieves love it when idiots do half their planning.
It's Expensive being Stupid and Selfieish.
We post our winning tickets, no matter what the prize size, either after we claim the winnings or blurring critical information like ticket confirmation numbers / barcodes.
This is so funny, what an idiot,don't worry these idiots will continue to post all their personal exploits on social media sites for all to take advantage of them hahahaha.
Life is the hardest teacher, it gives the test first and the lesson later.
I think they do have anonymity but even so that wouldn't stop someone from doing what she did on FB.
This could be called bragging about how much money you have.
Makes no sense. She's saying while their at the track they posted a pic, someone reverse copied it and ran down to the track and cashed it. Most people would cash it right away.
The first person she should have shared her good news with was someone at the lottery office who could pay her claim. Let it be a lesson to the next one who posts everything.
That's true, she would have blabbed on FB even if it was 825MIL.
She should look at this as a $ 825 invoice for her 15 minutes,
even though she's famous for being stupid.
indeed ...... I hope shes learned her lesson and learned it well
LOL !
Good one JadeLottery,
"Selfieish" initially I thought it was a typo, but it's a good description for anyone that's completely SELF absorbed.
This should serve as a lesson to everyone. You do not share that kind of information on social media. In a way I od not feel sorry for her. Everyone is posting way to much. People are getting burglarized because they are posting they are going out or on vacation. How stupid can you be. Maybe people will start to wake up. And sometimes family and friends are the worse.
We post our picture just so you can see the moron you're dealing with.
This, this is just plain ol' stupidity at its finest; with pictures to prove it.
When you think you've heard and seen it all.
I feel bad for her. She was clearly so happy she won. It"s a sick world and too bad
so many have to learn it the hard way. I"m sure the thought never crossed her mind.
I don't care for fb or any social bs but to each his own I guess.
I know she feels jilted but hopefully she's the type to just move on, lesson learned.
They walk amongst us everyday! G5
Nice to see someone who has sympathy for others
There are cold blooded people on this thread, I don't think she deserved that at all.
She made a mistake, got caught up in the moment and wanted to share it with others.
But it cost her, no doubt she learned how greedy people really are!
The Magic of Youth...you make mistakes and you learn from them. At least she is getting her wager back. She sounds like a very happy young person. Oh well, you live and you learn.
Here's another "money" saying for your tagline; "Money equals freedom".
True, it couldn't have happened if she'd been more careful.
However, that doesn't change the fact that whoever did it is a grade-A a--hole.
Ignorance of perverted technology is no excuse.
I agree, what a rotten thing for some lowlife to do to this happy girl. Then I see most people here take jabs at HER, and are calling her stupid. So it seems most people think crooks are entitled to screw people over? Is that the kind of mentality this world is full of? People that think stealing from someone is justified simply because someone was "dumb enough" to give an opportunity? Do people really think it is OK for crooks to do and think like this?
Hopefully there are more people with good hearts out there. Money is not the root of all evil, but what thoughts and deeds heartless people hold within their hearts sure is. Theft is a much worse vanity than the selfie this girl posted while holding her winning ticket. I sure hope others here agree. Just my two cents.
haymaker,
You're killing me!
justxploring, a member here, once posted a fictional story about a jackpot winner in a non-anonymous state and hired a lawyer and won the case and became famous for winning a case to remain anonymous!
Wow, normally the comments on this site are full of people supporting the winners or, in various cases, those who have gotten screwed out of their winnings. Apparently today isn't one of those days! Obviously most of us on here (if not all) know that stealing barcodes off winning horse race/sports betting tickets to cash them in is a thing, but to most of the general public, they're not aware. That kind of fast-acting, ruthless move by an internet <snip> is something that hopefully is dealt with swiftly and harshly when they catch this person.
It'll be a teachable moment for this winner, but I certainly wouldn't condemn her like almost everybody else on this thread is doing.
"So it seems most people think crooks are entitled to screw people over?"
Alternatively, it might seem to some of us that since criminals will be glad to take advantage it's really stupid to just leave the door open with cash laying out in plain sight.
Yea, I think I remember that.
LO L Bet she won't make that $825 mistake again.
Good point! When social media is more important than cashing the ticket this is what happens. It was not about the money for this person, it was all about 'posting' that she won. In my book, she caused this.
I hope you are not saying the crook did the right thing by ripping her off?
The remark below is in a very well known book. Although I probably didn't use the exact words.
In the end of this time, what is good will called evil, and what is evil will be called good...
I really don't believe this, because you need to show the actual ticket, not just a bar code..sorry fellas not true.
How does this work? She get the ticket confirmed by a machine which print out a receipt which makes it possible for her to claim her winnings?
I have the same sentiments.