Police warning about lottery scam

-- Deepa Bharath

Newport Beach Police are warning residents about a lottery scam that

cost one local woman $5,000.

The 88-year-old woman received a phone call saying she had won $1

million, said Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman.

“They told her they were calling from Cash Award Co., Concept Express

Production in New York,” he said. “They asked her to wire money to them

to some location in Canada.”

The woman, whose name police did not disclose, wired amounts of

$2,000, $2,000 and $1,200. She tried to wire $10,000 more after that but

was unsuccessful because the bank was unable to verify the account,

Shulman said.

“After that she became suspicious and knew that she wasn’t going to

get any money,” he said.

Shulman said this was the only report of such as lottery scam in

Newport Beach, but said the fraud may be going on in other cities all

over the nation.

The elderly are especially vulnerable to such scams, he said.

“People who have elderly relatives should also monitor their finances

because sometimes the victims are just embarrassed to talk about it,”

Shulman said.

Anybody who believes he or she is a victim or receives suspicious

phone calls is asked to call the Newport Beach Detective Division at

(949) 644-3790.