French lottery 'winner' went on huge spending spree only to realize she had wrong number

Mar 9, 2016, 8:14 pm (31 comments)

Euro Millions

A Frenchwoman who went on a huge spending spree after "winning" the Euro Millions lottery was ordered to pay the huge tab back after belatedly discovering that she had got the wrong the number.

The 46-year-old, whose identity was not disclosed in the French media, believed she had won a massive jackpot. Within hours, and over the course of three weeks in February and March 2014, she issued a series of checks – spending on perfumes, jewellery, clothes and ornaments to celebrate her good fortune.

Her spending quickly surpassed €4,000 (US$4,400), but with no word or check in sight from Euro Millions, her family started to fret.

Eventually, the woman's husband got his hands on the ticket and checked the numbers. He discovered to his horror that one of the digits failed to match and informed his wife.

The woman, a mother living in the Doubs département in eastern France, faced charges of fraud this week for a string of checks that bounced during her shopping spree, according to l'Est Republicain, the regional daily.

Once she realized her terrible mistake, the woman made matters worse by inventing a story that her handbag had been stolen in a bid not to have to pay back her debts.

She even burned the handbag to get rid of the evidence. However, she was caught on several shop security cameras writing out checks and charged.

After she initially denied fraud, the woman broke down in court to admit the charges this week. Understanding shop-owners had already contacted her to suggest payment in installments, but she has still not refunded them, saying she was "too afraid and ashamed" to do so. However, she promised to do so now.

The Besançon court handed her a four-month suspended sentence and ordered her to work and to repay her debts.

Telegraph, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Shelby Mustang

Talking about counting your chickens before they hatch. Wow 

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Umm, aren't you supposed to wait till the check clears your bank before you go spending? At least make sure you actually won, dumb dumb.

ohiopick3's avatarohiopick3

Bash Oh, well. Hope she can pay them back. Hit With Stick

whiteballz's avatarwhiteballz

"Eventually, the woman's husband got his hands on the ticket and checked the numbers. He discovered to his horror that one of the digits failed to match and informed his wife."

Not enough details. So she was one number away from winning the jackpot?? Not sure how the Euro Millions lottery works but in the US matching 5 numbers without the mega number in the Mega Millions lottery will net you well over $4,400. That's more than enough money to cover her debt.

Doesn't Euro Millions give any prize money for second place or is the game all or nothing?

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose
Oh mon Dieu
Groppo's avatarGroppo

To the French lady:

Eura peein' your money away.

(get it?  Eura peein'?)

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Quote: Originally posted by whiteballz on Mar 9, 2016

"Eventually, the woman's husband got his hands on the ticket and checked the numbers. He discovered to his horror that one of the digits failed to match and informed his wife."

Not enough details. So she was one number away from winning the jackpot?? Not sure how the Euro Millions lottery works but in the US matching 5 numbers without the mega number in the Mega Millions lottery will net you well over $4,400. That's more than enough money to cover her debt.

Doesn't Euro Millions give any prize money for second place or is the game all or nothing?

I Agree!, whiteballz, you've made an excellent point!

KY Floyd's avatarKY Floyd

Quote: Originally posted by whiteballz on Mar 9, 2016

"Eventually, the woman's husband got his hands on the ticket and checked the numbers. He discovered to his horror that one of the digits failed to match and informed his wife."

Not enough details. So she was one number away from winning the jackpot?? Not sure how the Euro Millions lottery works but in the US matching 5 numbers without the mega number in the Mega Millions lottery will net you well over $4,400. That's more than enough money to cover her debt.

Doesn't Euro Millions give any prize money for second place or is the game all or nothing?

Good point, but that's not the only thing that doesn't make sense.

Why were they surprised that there was "no word or check in sight from Euro Millions"? How did they expect Euro millions to even know about it? Did she mail them the ticket? If so, how did the husband get his hands on the ticket in order to find out that it wasn't a jackpot winner? She couldn't have gone in person, for all sorts of reasons.

I think the odds are extremely high that the woman's a fruitcake, and I wouldn't be surprised if they just came up with the story as an excuse for all of the checks she bounced.

myturn's avatarmyturn

Trust, but Verify!

myturn's avatarmyturn

Quote: Originally posted by Shelby Mustang on Mar 9, 2016

Talking about counting your chickens before they hatch. Wow 

This French chick is not playing with a full deck!

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

( insert blonde joke )

plumsage's avatarplumsage

Ruh Roh!

Slick Nick's avatarSlick Nick

Well it's evident she made a mistake, and a big one at that! Yes Nod  At least the court and the merchants appear to be fair with her.Smash

music*'s avatarmusic*

Quote: Originally posted by Slick Nick on Mar 10, 2016

Well it's evident she made a mistake, and a big one at that! Yes Nod  At least the court and the merchants appear to be fair with her.Smash

 A good lesson for all lottery players. Mercy me!

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