Woman stung in lottery scheme

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004 | 9:03 a.m.

North Las Vegas Police are warning the public of an international lottery scam after a woman was bilked out of $5,000.

Officer Tim Bedwell, police spokesman, said the victim called police Saturday and reported the scam. She said she received a letter Aug. 30 on letterhead from the "Universal Lotto Commission" claiming that she had won $250,000 in an Australian lottery.

The victim contacted the "payment office" in Canada and was told to send a check for $979 for clearance fees and tariff charges in order to receive her winnings, Bedwell said.

She followed the instructions and received several small checks, which she placed into her bank account in order to pay further fees. In all, Bedwell said, the woman paid $5,070 to the "Universal Lotto Commission."

All of the checks paid to the victim turned out to be fraudulent and her bank account became overdrawn.

"Of course, she never received the promised lottery payment," Bedwell said.

This is an example of a commonly-used international fraud scheme, he said.

"The only real protection consumers have against this crime is awareness," Bedwell said. Anyone receiving Internet or mail notifications that ask for money to cover clearance fees or tariffs should not hand over their money.

All correspondence of this type should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission.