DA Leone Reminds Residents To Be Aware Of Lottery Scams

In the wake of a recent conviction where a Kansas man was found guilty on charges that he stole nearly $200,000 from an elderly victim in Arlington through a foreign telephone lottery scam, DA Leone continues to warn residents, particularly seniors, about the dangers of lottery scams. 

Typically, the lottery scam is conducted by a third party who contacts a victim by phone or email and convinces the victim that they have won a lottery, which is often foreign.  The party than tells the victim that before they can claim their winnings, they must first pay taxes on the prize money, which is usually in the tens of thousands of dollars.  After the victim mails the check, the subject informs the resident they should wait until a fictitious date, when the supposed “winnings” will be awarded.  The winnings are never sent.     Below are tips for seniors to help protect themselves against being a victim of a lottery scam:

• Keep in mind that it is impossible to win a lottery in which you have not entered
• Remember that legitimate lotteries do not require you to pay money in order to collect your winnings
• Never send large amounts of money, whether checks or cash, to a person you do not know
• Do not negotiate with a person over how much money you can afford to send them
• If you realize you have been victimized, call authorities immediately
• Do not succumb to time pressures that are often presented in such scams