National Lottery: Asda worker accused of £50,000 fraud after tampering with tickets

Davies worked at the Asda in Dundee
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George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 05/09/2024

- 15:42

Melanie Davies allegedly tampered with the tickets on a number of occasions

A supermarket worker has been accused of conning the National Lottery out of more than £50,000 by fiddling with tickets.

Melanie Davies allegedly defrauded the company out of £52,066 by tampering with tickets.


The 35-year-old allegedly carried out the scheme on a number of occasions over almost a year while working at Asda in Dundee.

Davies, from, Brechin, is reported to have induced National Lottery to pay out higher sums than were due to be paid out on tickets.

Davies worked at the Asda in Dundee

Davies worked at the Asda in Dundee

Google Maps/PA

It is alleged that she was working at the Milton of Craigie store between August 23 2022 and July 12 2023 when the fraud took place.

During this period, Davies allegedly induced the National Lottery to pay out higher sums than necessary on winning tickets, according to the Sun.

She did not appear when the case was called at Dundee Sheriff Court today.

The case against her was continued without a plea until later this month.

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\u200bDundee Sherrif's Court

Dundee Sherriff's Court

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It comes after a man narrowly avoided jail after he tried to mislead the National Lottery into paying out a £1million prize fund using a stolen scratchcard.

Ryan McKellar stole the scratchcard from his workplace and later paid for the £5 game card after he realised he had won.

However, it was soon discovered that the thief had been regularly stealing scratchcards from Moat Petrol Station on Comber Road, Dundonald, to refresh his wages.

The 31-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing a lottery scratchcard on May 23, 2022. At Downpatrick Crown Court, McKellar received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Meanwhile, some lottery scratch card winners are being left feeling like "criminals" after their winning cheques bounced.

Paul Simpson, 69, won an £800 prize from new Lotto operator Allwyn and spent weeks chasing it after a cheque failed to go through.

The former Government worker was told by his bank TSB that the cheque wasn't paid because of "suspected fraud/counterfeit" and then was advised to ask for a new one or a bank transfer.

It was eventually settled more than a month later after he threatened a small claims court case.

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