Mum wins Lotto but is left 'in limbo and out of pocket' as pay out goes missing

16 February 2023 , 04:01

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Gemma claimed she has been left out of pocket by the National Lottery (Image: Gemma Murray/Liverpool Echo)

A mum claims she's been "palmed off" and "out of pocket" after she failed to receive her National Lottery winnings.

Gemma Murray has told how she used the app to play the lottery for herself and her mum, and struck lucky in October last year winning £30.

But Gemma, from Kirkby, says she's been left in limbo and is yet to receive the winnings.

The mum-of-one said: "Every month when we get paid, me and my mum put the lottery on for the month. She won three numbers - £30 - so I withdrew it from the account and we were told we'd get it by November 2, but we still haven't had it.

"I've spoken to the lottery and they said the bank could trace it but the bank can't find any trace through any of my statements and National Lottery keep fobbing me off. They told me last Friday it must be there but the bank has no evidence of it."

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Gemma said she was being 'palmed off' (Gemma Murray/Liverpool Echo)

The National Lottery said the money has been successfully returned to Gemma's account, and that the company which handles its debit card transactions has confirmed this. But to trace the payment, Gemma's bank would need to contact them in writing - something her bank has said it can't do.

Gemma said that she has been constantly calling but is getting "palmed off" and she added that now it is just about the principle rather than the money.

"It's been an absolute nightmare, we've been back and forth and I'm constantly calling them and they are palming me off. I must've called 100 times and I'm at the point now where it's not even the money, it's the principle," she told the Liverpool Echo.

"Imagine if it was £800, I do the hot picks so what if it was my three numbers? We've had no problems in the past but it's doing my head in. I've had to give it my mum so now I'm out of pocket. My point I'm trying to make to them is surely they have a better way to deal with these issues."

A spokesperson for the National Lottery reportedly said Gemma will be contacted by the customer care team, who will do everything they can to help her sort out the situation.

They continued: "In the very small number of cases that we see [like this], the funds are finally located at the bank’s end."

Aaliyah Rugg