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Lottery Scheme Targets Elderly
Police Investigating 'Nigerian Lottery'
By Randy Conat, ABC 12.com
February 28, 2005
A mid-Michigan police department says four elderly people have lost thousands of dollars through an apparent fraud.
Burton detectives say the seniors have been contacted by phone and certified letters, telling them they have won the Nigerian lottery.
The victims are told they need to send money through Western Union to claim their prize of $100,000 to $200,000.
However, to get that money, the "winners" are told they have to send money first. "To cover the cost of this money being shipped to you at customs, we need $2,500," said Burton detective Shawn Duncanson.
The phone call originates in Canada. Once the money is sent, it bounces all around the world before ending up in Nigeria.
"Most of the people don't even realize they didn't even sign up for a lottery, but they believe they won this money. So they've been sending sums of two or three thousand dollars at a time. We have a couple victims who spent over ten thousand dollars," Duncanson said.
Detective Duncanson says if you have a friend or loved one who is elderly, you should warn them about the apparently fraudulent lottery.
"That's why we urge you, if you have an elderly loved one living by themselves, ask them if they've been contacted by these people," said Duncanson.
If someone has already been contacted about the Nigerian lottery, they should call their local police department.
The U.S. Treasury Department is also investigating the Nigerian Lottery scheme.
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