Dateline NBC did one of those stings where they check stores to see if they honest about the lottery tickets.
Well they checked 500 stores and 90 stores lied to customers as to whether they actually won anything on their scratch off tickets. In 59 of those cases, the store kept the "fake" $1000 winning tickets and had a family member cash those tickets.
Here is what really happened. California Lottery officials would have someone go into the store and ask the clerk to check out their tickets for winners. Then the customer would go around the store and come back. Well in 90 of those cases, the clerk told the person that the tickets were losers. Then of course, these tickets were fake and 59 people cashed the tickets. Of course it was mainly store owners who were "not from the US" who cashed almost all of the tickets!
Here is what happened in Texas at a few stores when our local TV station did an undercover report. Well they had heard from customers that these stores ROUTINELY would say that a winning $20 ticket would be only $20 for example. Well in alot of cases, of course it would be $30 or $100 or so. The clerk would act like they made a mistake if someone said something. Also, these same stores would NOT even run the ticket through the computer most times and just ask the customer how much they won and then they would just look at the ticket. Well the problem is that alot of those tickets can win multiple times or have a bonus box. The worker would give them their $20 that they thought that they won and then they would check the ticket later. This of course is not illegal and the customer is actually happy, but it is against lottery rules.
The TV station had a few winning lottery tickets where there was a double winner involved. They only did this with winner of less than $100, then the station didnt want to be out to much cash. But each of 4 times that they presented a winning $10 ticket, they were given $10 3 times and $20 once. Each of those tickets was a winner from $50-100. The employee didnt scan the tickets any time. Of course each of those stores were owned by Pakistanis.
In another case from that dateline show, a guy went to check his ticket for the LOTTO. He had heard that someone from that store won a secondary prize of $100,000 for 5 of 6. Well he played the lotto almost everyday at that store. He waited a few days and brought about 5 tickets in to check. The clerk was busy and put the tickets aside while he chatted with the man and other customers. Then you could see on tape when the clerk glanced at the ticket, then he went to back of the store for a second. He then came back and scanned another ticket that showed a winner of $4 and gave it to the man with the receipt. He was happy and bought some more tickets. That same man then saw a story on TV how no one had claimed that $100,000 and somehow the stores videocamera tapes were given to the news and at that EXACT time you could see who bought the ticket. It was this guys wife and you could see him at the store as well.
Well he called Lottery officials and explained to them this story. Strange thing is that the Lottery already were investigating this same store since they had cashed winning tickets over $70,000 in the past year NOT INCLUDING this $100,000 which someone had showed up to claim the day before. Well he ended up getting his money about 1 month later the clerk was arrested.
But these stories should convince you to be a bit more wary of your lottery tickets when you present them to the store for payment
Well they checked 500 stores and 90 stores lied to customers as to whether they actually won anything on their scratch off tickets. In 59 of those cases, the store kept the "fake" $1000 winning tickets and had a family member cash those tickets.
Here is what really happened. California Lottery officials would have someone go into the store and ask the clerk to check out their tickets for winners. Then the customer would go around the store and come back. Well in 90 of those cases, the clerk told the person that the tickets were losers. Then of course, these tickets were fake and 59 people cashed the tickets. Of course it was mainly store owners who were "not from the US" who cashed almost all of the tickets!
Here is what happened in Texas at a few stores when our local TV station did an undercover report. Well they had heard from customers that these stores ROUTINELY would say that a winning $20 ticket would be only $20 for example. Well in alot of cases, of course it would be $30 or $100 or so. The clerk would act like they made a mistake if someone said something. Also, these same stores would NOT even run the ticket through the computer most times and just ask the customer how much they won and then they would just look at the ticket. Well the problem is that alot of those tickets can win multiple times or have a bonus box. The worker would give them their $20 that they thought that they won and then they would check the ticket later. This of course is not illegal and the customer is actually happy, but it is against lottery rules.
The TV station had a few winning lottery tickets where there was a double winner involved. They only did this with winner of less than $100, then the station didnt want to be out to much cash. But each of 4 times that they presented a winning $10 ticket, they were given $10 3 times and $20 once. Each of those tickets was a winner from $50-100. The employee didnt scan the tickets any time. Of course each of those stores were owned by Pakistanis.
In another case from that dateline show, a guy went to check his ticket for the LOTTO. He had heard that someone from that store won a secondary prize of $100,000 for 5 of 6. Well he played the lotto almost everyday at that store. He waited a few days and brought about 5 tickets in to check. The clerk was busy and put the tickets aside while he chatted with the man and other customers. Then you could see on tape when the clerk glanced at the ticket, then he went to back of the store for a second. He then came back and scanned another ticket that showed a winner of $4 and gave it to the man with the receipt. He was happy and bought some more tickets. That same man then saw a story on TV how no one had claimed that $100,000 and somehow the stores videocamera tapes were given to the news and at that EXACT time you could see who bought the ticket. It was this guys wife and you could see him at the store as well.
Well he called Lottery officials and explained to them this story. Strange thing is that the Lottery already were investigating this same store since they had cashed winning tickets over $70,000 in the past year NOT INCLUDING this $100,000 which someone had showed up to claim the day before. Well he ended up getting his money about 1 month later the clerk was arrested.
But these stories should convince you to be a bit more wary of your lottery tickets when you present them to the store for payment
