Woman Victimized In Lottery Scam

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Post office using new approach to spread the word
Posted: 9:01 PM Feb 22, 2008
Last Updated: 12:32 AM Feb 23, 2008
Reporter: Mike McKnight
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

19 comments

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It's a warning that bares repeating every time someone falls for it. Don't cash checks that claim to pay for taxes on lottery winnings. An Omaha woman did and got taken.

Embarrased about losing $5,000 in a Canadian lottery scam, Connie asked that her last name not be revealed. She wants to warn others not to fall for the promise of riches.

Connie believed her problems were over with the notice she'd won $125,000 in a Canadian lottery. “I thought for once in my life maybe things are going to come my way and maybe I'm gonna be a winner for a change.”

The letter came with a check so she could pay so-called fees. But after cashing the check and wiring fees to Canada the check bounced leaving Connie liable to her bank for nearly $5,000.

"I just feel so used and I want people to be aware of this."

This lottery scam that cost Connie will go in the mail fraud bucket at the postal inspector's office where they're trying a new, Hollywood-style approach to prevent victims like her.

“Crooks tell people they can make money playing the lottery in foreign countries" is a line from a movie based on true stories of people who lost in lottery scams. It's available for showing potential victims either alone or in groups.

"You see real victims saying I lost my money, I thought it was real, but it's not," says postal inspector Dave Margritz.

Connie needs a script for getting out of debt. Her bank demands she cover the nearly $5,000 fraudulent check, so she's gone to Credit Advisors for help.

“The debt seems overwhelming at first, but there are ways to get that taken care of over time with some help from a certified counselor," said Sam Hohman of Credit Advisors.

A hard-working single woman, Connie fell blindly in love with the promise of riches that turned out to be a big lie. "I feel like very much a victim and a sucker on something like this."

Postal inspectors encourage anyone who works with senior citizens or other vulnerable adults to get a DVD for group presentations. Even younger adults can fooled.

Contact the postal inspector through postalinspectors.uspis.gov.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Vera Davis on Jun 5, 2008 at 09:43 PM
I HAVE AT LEAST $20 THOUSAND WORTH OF NO GOOD CHECKS ON HAND AND EVERYDAY i'M CALLED BY SOME CON ARTIST TRYING TO CONVINCE ME TO SEND THEM MONEY TO GET WHAT I SUPPOSEDLY WON!!I CUT MY HOME PHONE SERVICE ONLY TO FIND THAT MY CELL# WAS SOLD FOR THE SAME PURPOSE..TRUST NOTHING AND NOBODY!!!CALLS START 8AM AND CONTINUES TO 7PM MON THRU SAT....I AM ABOUT TO GET RID OF THE CELL PHONE..NEXT!!...EMAILS HAVE STARTED----DUE TO YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS BEING SELECTED---YOU'VE WON $$$$$ BUT YOU NUST GIVE ALL PERSONAL INFO TO A SPECIAL AGENT BY PHONE CONTACT---DON'T DO IT---THERE'S ANOTHER MEANS OF GETTING ASMUCH INFO AS POSSIBLE FOR "IDENTITY THEFT "

Posted by: Ben on Feb 26, 2008 at 03:30 PM
Ma'am Wake up, grow up. Geese!!!

Posted by: Steve on Feb 24, 2008 at 01:55 AM
I usually dont pay attention to these types of things, but today I got a call from the U.S. Gov'T saying that my telephone number was picked to receive a grant from the U.S. Gov'T. When they said they couldn't mail me the check and needed my account number, I knew something was up, even tho I tought it would be nice to have thirty five hundred put in my account. Just got to have common sense, and never give out your account number,no matter how good it seems.

Posted by: Never Learn on Feb 23, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Every type of news media has run countless stories about scams like this, but no matter how many they run, someone always falls for these scams eventually. You can't make anything idiot-proof.

Posted by: Kate on Feb 23, 2008 at 03:28 PM
Perhaps a new banking law should be enacted. IF a check is from a foreign country, the face amount isn't good or posted in the recipient's account until the check clears the foreign bank. Sure it'd hold up money, but in the end it could save victims too. Tellers should be paying better attention to foreign checks. My daughter works at a big-box retailer in the customer service dept. Having knowledge as to foreign scams, merely asked the woman wanting to purchase a large money order if the woman was certain she wanted to wire-transfer the money. And, did you receive a request and check from a company or person you don't know? Yes was the answer and the wire-transfer did not take place. The woman was very thankful the alert/questions had been asked. I'm certain the original big dollar check was returned to the woman in time and wasn't good at all.

Posted by: Jay on Feb 23, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I always see a lot of negative comments when these stories are posted about how people should use "common sense" and "wise up" to these scams. My comment is that social engineering is nothing to sneeze at. It is been shown again and again that even the most cautious people are 'hooked' and taken advantage of one way or another. My heart goes out to those who fall to these scams, and I boo the person who would say anything negative about someone who suffers serious monetary loss. Most of the people who are victims to these types of scams are the ones who can least afford it -- which is exactly why the scam was able to work on them in the first place. I would love to see more public service announcements about scams and frauds, but I guess a silly little arguement over a silly little baseball field is more important. Go figure.

Posted by: t on Feb 23, 2008 at 11:31 AM
I feel for her -- to an extent. But it was her desire for some easy money that led to this debt. Lotteries just don't pick people at random via the US Mail.

Posted by: Mel on Feb 23, 2008 at 10:48 AM
I personally think she knew darn well it wasn't real and is crying foul now. After years of this type of scam getting publicity and at her age she knows that this stuff exists. All it would have taken is a phone call to the post office or local police to verify. But, instead...she went for the quick buck and therefore is part of the scam. I bet if we passed a law that made you criminally responsible, people would take those right actions first. So, I don't buy it for a minute that she was "scammed" - I bet she knew every step to the bank that it was fake. And, banks own a piece of this as well. A check of that amount should be called on to verify funds. My bank won't cash a $10 check without doing that. This story has gotten so old - people no longer feel sorry for the so called victoms.

Posted by: Marcia on Feb 23, 2008 at 09:21 AM
I would like to know why her bank didn't put a hold on the check to begin with?? I work at a financial institution and we are always suspisious of large amount checks being presented from someone where that isn't normal activity for them.

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 23, 2008 at 09:20 AM
I'm thinking the way she said 'maybe I'm gonna be a winner for a change' makes me think she's something of a compulsive gambler. She's possibly associating her self-worth with how much money she has. I'm guessing this might have blinded her to the "too good to be true" common sense.

Posted by: D on Feb 23, 2008 at 08:38 AM
If it costs anything to get money from any winning offer avoid it at all costs. Too bad greed clouds this obvious truth. It's always obvious after you've been taken.

Posted by: John on Feb 23, 2008 at 05:27 AM
What I don't understand is that if I present my bank with a check for $5,000, it would take anout a week for it to clear before the money would be available for me to use. How is it that these victims cash the check and send out the money before the check clears?

Posted by: chris on Feb 23, 2008 at 02:47 AM
Wow!! I am tired of hearing about the same people that fall for this scam. This has to be about the 20th time that you have run this story. Wake up people....no such thing as a FREE lunch.

Posted by: Bob on Feb 23, 2008 at 02:37 AM
Maybe the News Stations need to announce at every newscast that lotteries wiring money back to such and such address is nothing more than a scam. 20 second announcement is all that's needed. Maybe it'll sink into some or most people's heads.

Posted by: E on Feb 23, 2008 at 02:28 AM
Ummm... Didnt P.T. Barnum say that "there's a sucker born every minute". Actually, he really didnt say that (it's true. Cant remember who actually said it, but it's mistakenly attributed to Barnum a lot!)...but, it's still true. If you're gullible enough to believe that a check from another country (Canada, Nigeria...) is an actual check that's going to pay for taxes to get more money, then you pretty much deserve the debt you're going to rack up once you cash it.

Posted by: Brian (retired police sgt) on Feb 23, 2008 at 12:21 AM
The Omaha Police should track the money wire to see where it was picked up. Chances are it wasn't in Canada. I investigated an identical scam in Saskatoon. The victim wired money to Miami. It was picked up in London, UK using an expired Italian passport. I now give public lectures across Canada on fraud prevention hoping to educate people about scams, and have written a book titled STOP FRAUD published in Canada last September. Any time they see the phrase "wire money" it's a scam. If I can help Connie, please have her email me. Thanks for your time. Sgt. Brian Trainor (retired)

Posted by: mid town on Feb 22, 2008 at 09:50 PM
all you have to do is use a little common sense. I'm not trying to be insensitive so don't take this wrong but all you have to do is ask yourself one question. Is this to good to be true, as a person who works for a check casher I have seen plenty and had to tell many folks their check is no good and put it in my file. most know its not but will try, some are very nieve and think like this lady this is my day but unless you buy a powerball or some other public gameing ticket anything you get in the mail is probably a scam.

Posted by: itica on Feb 22, 2008 at 09:48 PM
Did she play the Canadian lottery? I am always surprised when people fall for this.

Posted by: DB on Feb 22, 2008 at 09:18 PM
What is this, like the 10th time you guys have run this type of story? And people still don't listen? Jeepers.