AI Game Box Pseudo-Random Lottery Scam: A grey-market platform claiming random drops of rare items but actually inducing top-ups

Who Gets Targeted

Victims are mostly young gaming enthusiasts and students, particularly players with a strong desire for virtual collectibles such as rare skins and figurines. Generally lacking a foundation in probability, they are easily lured by promotions like 'low-cost draws' and 'guaranteed drop mechanisms.' Compounded by the herd mentality created by social media word-of-mouth marketing, they continue multiple consecutive top-ups without seeing the expected rare items, falling into a sunk-cost fallacy that ultimately leads to heavy financial losses.

骗局怎么运作

• The platform generates 'pseudo-random' drop probability tips via an AI large model, claiming to use advanced algorithms to guarantee fair chances for every draw, but actual probabilities are locked by backend code at extremely low levels, with the user interface only displaying the illusion of high probabilities.
• After a new user makes their first top-up, the system automatically grants a high-probability 'lucky draw,' allowing the user to obtain rare items in a short time. It then claims in a pop-up window that this is a 'guaranteed drop mechanism,' inducing the user to continue topping up to get more 'guaranteed' opportunities.
• The platform sets up multi-layered prize pools: Common, Rare, and Ultimate. The drop rate of the Ultimate pool is hardcoded at 0.01% and the probability only increases after cumulative top-ups reach a specific amount, forming a top-up threshold.
• Through social media KOLs and livestreaming botting, the platform manufactures a large number of 'winning' screenshots, combined with AI-generated complimentary comments, to create false popularity and reinforce users' herd mentality and FOMO (fear of missing out).
• Once a user continues to top up without obtaining rare items, the platform pops up inducing windows such as 'top-up rebates' and 'exclusive ban-protection gift packs' to further lock in the user's sunk costs until the user quits voluntarily or is banned by the platform.
• The platform's capital flows are dispersed to multiple overseas accounts via third-party payment aggregators, making them difficult to track. It publicly claims that all lottery revenues are used for 'platform operations and technological research and development,' which actually masks the true gambling nature.
• Upon receiving user complaints, regulatory authorities discovered that the platform had failed to obtain online game operation licenses within the scope stipulated by law and that lottery probability information was opaque, constituting illegal online lottery behavior. Consequently, rectification notices were issued and the platform was ordered to rectify.

红旗信号（看到这些快跑）

• 🚩 Promotions feature absolute language such as 'lowest price network-wide' and 'guaranteed lottery draws,' without providing specific probability explanations.
• 🚩 The lottery page uses AI-generated random number tips without any official audits or third-party verification.
• 🚩 Frequent pop-up inducing windows for extra draws or rebates appear after topping up, emphasizing that 'missing out means losing the chance.'
• 🚩 The platform claims that lottery proceeds can be cashed out or exchanged for physical goods, but actual cash-out channels are vague and require meeting high top-up thresholds.
• 🚩 Extensive use of celebrities and internet influencers livestreaming and botting to display 'winning screenshots,' but screenshot details are AI-edited, lacking genuine transaction vouchers.
• 🚩 User agreements do not clearly state lottery probabilities, and the attached 'Online Game Business License' information is missing or marked as 'not yet obtained.'
• 🚩 Customer service replies adopt unified AI scripts, evading probability questions and only giving vague responses such as 'please continue topping up to get higher probabilities.'

真实案例

• The platform attracted user top-ups within two years through AI-generated lottery probability promotions, and was eventually investigated and penalized by the State Administration for Market Regulation, involving layered disposition of 54 individuals.
• A livestream room used drawing thousand-yuan rare figurines for 9.9 yuan as a gimmick, while the actual lottery probability was set at 0.02%. Multiple players failed to win rare figurines after consecutive top-ups, and were only refunded partial amounts after layered bargaining by the platform.
• The platform misled users by utilizing 'probability tips' generated by AI models, and was eventually exposed by 36Kr and issued a warning by the China Consumers Association.
• In July 2026, according to Tencent News citing reports from Procuratorial Daily Justice Net, the People's Procuratorate of Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province concluded a mega online gambling case disguised as an online blind box app. 54 involved personnel were legally handled in a layered manner, recovering illegal gains of 97.8 million yuan. The gang turned blind box games into gambling and website platforms into casinos (Source: [https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20260728A050NL00](https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20260728A050NL00)).
• On June 17, 2025, after trial, the People's Court of Pudong New Area, Shanghai held that the defendant Ni Mourong and others conspired to fabricate facts to defraud elderly people of money, with a particularly huge amount, and sentenced Ni Mourong to ten years and three months of imprisonment for the crime of fraud. By the time of the case, his sales amount of dihydroquercetin products reached over 620,000 yuan (Source: [https://www.163.com/dy/article/KFMRH55C0550B6IS.html](https://www.163.com/dy/article/KFMRH55C0550B6IS.html)).

Official Stance

• Notice on Regulating the Behavior of Online Lottery Platforms
• Risk Warning on Online Blind Box Lotteries Suspected of Gambling
• Measures for Rectifying Violations in Online Entertainment Product Lotteries

How to Protect Yourself

• ✅ Before conducting any lottery top-up, be sure to check whether the platform has obtained an 'Online Game Business License' or 'Online Culture Business License.' If not obtained, payments should be stopped immediately.
• ✅ Carefully read the user agreement and lottery probability disclosure. If vague expressions such as 'high probability' or 'guaranteed' appear alone, exit immediately and report to regulatory authorities.
• ✅ Use payment methods from official channels and retain top-up records and lottery screenshots. If lottery results do not match promotions, you can use vouchers to protect your rights with payment institutions.
• ✅ For lotteries where the platform claims cash-out or exchange for physical goods is possible, inquire first about the specific exchange process and required amounts. If an additional large top-up is required for exchange, refuse directly.
• ✅ Pay attention to blacklists and warning information released by authoritative media or regulatory authorities to avoid any top-up activities on platforms marked as grey markets.