The National Lottery Authority (NLA) says 18 persons have been arrested with several others facing prosecution for engaging in fraudulent activities in the industry.

This follows the NLA’s engagement with the National Communications Authority and the National Security to clamp down on scammers who dupe unsuspecting customers under the guise of offering them winning lotto numbers by adding them to WhatsApp platforms.

Speaking at the Public Accounts Committee meeting, the Director General of the NLA, Sammy Awuku said the re-registration of SIM cards would complement efforts at dealing with the menace.

“They don’t even have a limit, even me as the Director-General, sometimes they create WhatsApp platforms, add you to it, and when you exit, they add you again and even tell you that they can give u winning numbers.

“We reported the matter to the NCA, National Security, and the National Signals Bureau and we have made some tremendous efforts. We have arrested more than 18 people last year and some are also standing trial at various but it is an everyday matter and I believe that if there is one agency that is going to benefit from this Sim-Card registration, honestly NLA will be one of them.”