7 NT$10 million receipt prizes unclaimed ahead of May 5 deadline

Taipei, March 24 (CNA) Seven of the 17 NT$10 million winning receipts from Taiwan's November-December uniform invoice lottery remain unclaimed as of Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said, and it urged winners to redeem their prizes by May 5.

The reminder comes ahead of the release of winning numbers for the January-February lottery on March 25.

Among the unclaimed receipts were one for a NT$173 phone bill in Keelung, while others were for a NT$5,913 purchase at a Costco in Taipei's Neihu District, a NT$49 purchase at a FamilyMart in New Taipei's Tamsui District, and a NT$500 purchase at a tea shop in Shulin District in New Taipei, according to the MOF.

Other unclaimed winning receipts included an NT$11 Gogoro service fee in Taoyuan, a NT$607 purchase at a PX Mart in Taichung, and a NT$111 purchase at a coffee shop in Kaohsiung.

Meanwhile, seven NT$2 million grand prize receipts have yet to be redeemed, the ministry said.

The prizes can be redeemed at First Commercial Bank, Chang Hwa Bank, the Agricultural Bank of Taiwan, the Kinmen Credit Cooperative and the Credit Department of the Lienchiang County Farmers' Association, according to the ministry.

The uniform invoice lottery, held every two months, was introduced to encourage consumers to request receipts and help prevent tax evasion.

It is funded by 3 percent of annual business tax revenue, which is built into the prices of most goods and services.