An elderly Golden Gate couple told deputies they were
swindled out of a large sum of cash Thursday by two people who promised to
share lottery winnings with them.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office is cautioning the
community about a popular lottery scam in light of this most recent incident.
This scam usually targets Hispanics. The suspect approaches
the victim and says he or she is having trouble cashing in a Florida Lottery
ticket due to being in the country illegally. The suspect tells the victim
there are fees or taxes that need to be paid up front. At some point a second
suspect appears as a third party who overheard the conversation and agrees to
give some of the money toward the fees if the victim will give the rest. Once
the victim has handed over money the two suspects disappear.
Sheriff’s reports gave this account of Thursday’s incident:
The 76-year-old man and his 92-year-old wife said they were
at the Grand Buffet restaurant, 2700 U.S. 41 E. in East Naples, when they were
approached by two men who claimed to have won $500,000 in the lottery.
The men explained they couldn’t cash the ticket because they
didn’t have legal citizenship status. They asked the couple for cash in
exchange for the ticket and the couple agreed.
The couple rode with the men to two different banks and
withdrew large sums of cash, which the couple placed into an envelope. One of
the men began complaining of stomach pain and asked the couple to go inside
Kmart, 4955 Golden Gate Parkway, Golden Gate, to buy him medication.
When the couple came back out of the store, the men were
gone, leaving the couple in the store parking lot. The couple also discovered
that at some point the men had emptied the cash from the envelope.
The couple told detectives that one of the men was described
as Hispanic, in his late 20s, 5 feet 8 inches tall and about 180 pounds with
black hair and brown eyes. The other man was described as Hispanic, about 35
years old with dark skin, 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds with brown hair
and brown eyes. Their vehicle was described as possibly a gray Nissan sedan.
An investigation continues.
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 239-252-9300, or if you wish to remain anonymous call Crime
Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).
