Elderly Uxbridge couple defrauded of $1.2 million in lottery scam
Published March 30, 2022 at 3:00 pm
A elderly couple have been defrauded of $1.2 million in a lottery scam, leading police to issue a warning to residents about such fraud attempts.
The couple was contacted and led to believe they had won a lottery jackpot of millions from the United States. Police did not specify how, but the pair ended up losing their entire life savings of $1.2 million.
The couple went to a family friend and asked to borrow $130,000. After this request the friend contacted Durham Regional Police.
The investigation led police to issue a warning to avoid lottery fraud if contacted as a winner. Firstly, they advise residents to be sure they bought a ticket in the first place.
DRPS also reminds residents that most lotto organizations require the winner to live in the area hosting the draw. In their cited example, an Ontario resident cannot usually win a draw held in the United States of United Kingdom.
Fees and charges to unlock lottery winnings are illegal in Canada. “If you win $1,000, you have won $1,000, no service fee, no insurance fee, no clearance fee,” police said, “And remember if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
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Finally, police recommend reporting any suspicions regarding lottery winnings to the Alcohol and Gambling Commision of Ontario (AGCO), which can confirm the validity of winnings. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Center can also confirm.
Scams targeting seniors have been pf pressing importance to DRPS of late. Numerous “grandparent scams” were reported last Fall. Six attempts were reported to Durham Police on the same day in December, with one victim, 77, losing $9,000.
Just yesterday, Durham police announced the arrest of three men who allegedly defrauded a Durham Region senior, 75, of $30,000.
Image via Durham Regional Police.
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