2 days left to claim NT$10 million receipt lottery prizes

Taipei, Jan. 3 (CNA) Owners of seven unclaimed NT$10 million (US$322,481) and five unclaimed NT$2 million winning receipts from Taiwan's July-August invoice lottery last year have until Friday to claim their prizes, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Wednesday.

The unclaimed NT$10 million winning receipts include an NT$26 receipt issued by a 7-Eleven in Hsinchu City's East District, an NT$55 receipt issued by a beverage shop in Taichung's Xitun District, and an NT$89 purchase of drinks and bread at a 7-Eleven in New Taipei's Sanchong District.

The eight-digit serial number that won the NT$10 million special prize in the July-August lottery was 21981893, the MOF said.

Meanwhile, receipts of the five unclaimed NT$2 million grand prizes include an NT$33 spend issued by Apple's App Store, an NT$85 receipt issued by Mos Burger in Taipei's Xinyi District, and an NT$242 receipt issued by a 7-Eleven in Taoyuan's Taoyuan District.

The other two are an NT$1,573 receipt issued by a steakhouse in Taichung's Nantun District, and an NT$190 receipt for a top-up at a FamilyMart in Kaohsiung's Siaogang District.

The serial number for the NT$2 million grand prize was 39597522, as shown on the MOF's website.

The uniform invoice lottery system, which draws winning numbers every two months, was created to encourage consumers to collect sales receipts as part of the ministry's efforts to prevent tax evasion by vendors.

The lottery is funded by 3 percent of annual business tax revenues, with the tax built into the prices of most goods and services, according to Taiwan's tax laws and regulations.