A man was arrested after attempting to claim a ₱172 million lotto jackpot using a fake ticket, authorities said. The suspect presented the forged ticket at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) main office in Mandaluyong City, but discrepancies were detected during verification.
PCSO officials immediately alerted the police, leading to the man's apprehension. He is now facing charges for falsification of documents and attempted estafa.
Investigators are looking into the origin of the fake ticket and whether the suspect had accomplices. The PCSO reminded the public that only genuine tickets are honored and warned against any attempts at fraud, which carry severe penalties.