Suffolk Police Warn Residents Of Lottery Scammers Asking For Help Collecting Winnings
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police on Long Island are warning residents about a lottery scam.
The suspects approach their victims and claim to be lottery winners. The scammers say they can't collect the money because of their immigration status, and offer to split the winnings if the victim picks up the prize in their name, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said.
"So they ask the person for assistance to cash the lottery ticket, and in doing so they ask the victim for some collateral," Sini said.
The suspects typically request cash or jewelry, and in some cases have driven the victims home to get the goods, Sini said.
Once the suspects are in possession of the valuables, they take off, police said.
The suspects usually work in pairs and appear to be targeting Hispanic women, police said.
The holiday shopping season is prime time for these types of scams, WCBS 880's Mike Xirinachs reported.
"People who are out and about they may be carrying more cash than usual, people who are typically not shoppers but during the holiday seasons they are," Sini said.
Police are asking anyone who may have been victimized to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
