ACCC suspends Powerball scheme

First, I had no idea where to put this thread.
Second, I do realize this is most likely a scheme.

before I get to the story, there is one part that caught my attention.

After analysing each number drawn excluding the Powerball number since its introduction, we have made an amazing discovery that disputes the theory of random probability and has totally shocked experts."

I would like to know who the experts were who were shocked.

Did the ACCC shut them down becuase they found something?

Now to the story..

A SYDNEY company promising a guaranteed win at Powerball has had its assets frozen by court order after legal action.

Powerballwin.com.au Pty Ltd offered a "100 per cent guarantee" to provide the correct Powerball number and help subscribers choose the next five numbers, Federal Court documents show.

The company claimed its system was based on "mathematics, statistics, computer modelling and the complex study of the theory of random probability", court documents said.

However, the ACCC this week won a court injunction against the company and four men, suspending the scheme and freezing their bank accounts until a further hearing tomorrow.

The promoters disputed the theory that lottery balls fell in random patterns and promised subscribers a system to help them win "all divisions of Powerball", court documents said.

They claimed their system would help punters win.

However, the ACCC said in court documents the promoters did not have insider information, and were engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct.

Justice Alan Goldberg on Wednesday suspended the scheme, banned further promotion of the system and froze the company's bank accounts in Bendigo and Broadbeach, Queensland.

He specifically ordered the promoters not to touch $40,000 in assets.

Powerballwin.com.au was set up in June by Con Barris, with offices in the World Tower in Liverpool St, Sydney. He and and an A. Philpott are shareholders.

Mr Barris along with Michael Duggan and Mark Adams, all listed at the Sydney address, and a David Walker of Mermaid Waters, Queensland, are named in the ACCC application.

One of the company's ads included in the application stated: "Win Powerball this Thursday! The first Australian Powerball draw was conducted at 8.28pm on May 23, 1996. After analysing each number drawn excluding the Powerball number since its introduction, we have made an amazing discovery that disputes the theory of random probability and has totally shocked experts."

An ACCC spokeswoman declined to comment.

SOURCE

[edit on 19-9-2009 by TrainDispatcher]