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Lottery Scam Targeting Latinos Takes in $130,000

``Police say the so-called Latino lottery scam operated for several years in the Southwest and was reported in Florida but seemed to have died down with an increase in regional publicity.

``...Victims in the Waukegan, Milwaukee and Cudahy, Wis., cases, primarily older Hispanic women, have reported the same story, Waukegan Police Lt. Dan Greathouse said.

It goes like this:

``A person, usually a woman, approaches a potential victim in a parking lot and, speaking Spanish, claims to be an illegal immigrant with a winning lottery ticket. The scam artist says she can't claim the money unless she gets a lawyer to help establish legal residence.

``To prove the ticket is valid, the thief shows the victim an official-looking letter bearing a fake lottery office phone number. The two place a call to the number and a person involved in the scheme answers and "verifies" the ticket.

``The person with the ticket then tells the victim that he or she will share the lottery winnings if the victim will put up money to cover lawyer fees.

``At that point, another person in on the scam approaches and asks the two people what they're talking about. Once it's explained, the second scam artist immediately offers to put up money, inspiring the victim to do the same.

``All three go get from the victim's bank or home.

``Once the money is in hand, the crook with the ticket starts complaining about an illness. The con men either persuade the victim to go to a store to get medicine, leaving the money behind, or they go into the store themselves with the money and never return..."

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