Deputies are looking for two people who swindled a 36-year-old woman in a lottery scam in East Naples on Monday.
The victim told deputies that she was walking west along Davis Boulevard near the Home Depot store around 2 p.m. when she was approached by a woman who she did not know. The woman told the victim that she had just won $200,000 in the lottery but that she could not collect the money because she was in the country illegally.
The woman promised the victim $7,000 to assist her in collecting the winnings, but needed money from her in order to do so.
Another woman who was walking by offered to help. She offered to drive the women to a bank in her sport utility vehicle.
The three then drove to the victim’s bank, where she withdrew an undisclosed amount of cash and gave it to the women.
The women then took the victim to the Publix store in King’s Lake Plaza off Davis Boulevard. One of the women asked the victim to buy some stamps at Publix.
The victim went inside the store and when she returned the women were gone.
The first suspect is described as Hispanic and was wearing a brown shirt and blue jeans. The second suspect is also described as Hispanic, thin and with curly hair. She was wearing black pants and a black blouse.
They were traveling in a dark-colored SUV with dark tinted windows.
CCSO reminds the public that immigration status does not prevent anyone from cashing a Florida Lottery ticket. In addition, any taxes due are deducted from the winnings.
Anyone with information should call the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 239-793-9300 or if you wish to remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).
Cualquier persona con informaciòn debe llamar a La Oficina del Aguacil del Condado de Collier al 239-793-9300 o si desea seguir siendo anònimo llame a Crime Stoppers al 1800-780-Tips (8477).
