A distressing incident in Santa Ana has highlighted the dangers of lottery scams, particularly for the elderly. On March 19, a 75-year-old woman was approached while walking to her car near Raitt Street and McFadden Avenue by two women.
These women claimed to have won $2.7 million in lottery tickets but insisted they couldn’t cash them because of their immigration status, as reported by the Santa Ana Police Department.
They managed to convince the victim to get into their car and then drive her to her home, where she was coerced into handing over about $45,000 in cash and jewelry as collateral for their supposed winning tickets.
“They got into the suspect’s car and drove her back to the victim’s home, where the victim handed over approximately $45,000 worth of cash and jewelry as collateral, and the suspects fled,” noted department spokeswoman Natalie Garcia.
Garcia mentioned that scams like this often target elderly individuals, who may be living on fixed incomes or have cash saved at home. “They are specifically targeted,” she said, pointing out the vulnerability of retirees.
The suspects escaped in an older gray Ford Escape with chrome rims, adding an unsettling layer to this unfortunate event.
