SUNNYVALE DPS SEEKS LOTTERY SCAM SUSPECTS

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) investigators are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying two female suspects involved in a lottery scam.

On November 21, 2005, a couple in their 70s was contacted by two suspects at a store in Mountain View. They subsequently drove to a bank in Sunnyvale, where the suspects stole several thousand dollars from the victims by utilizing a lottery scam.

In a lottery scam, the suspect befriends the intended victim, claiming to have a winning lottery ticket. The suspect then uses a speakerphone to call a confederate who answers the phone as if they were at the state lottery commission office. After the suspects reads the lottery numbers to the confederate, the confederate congratulates them on having a winning ticket and tells them that to claim their large winnings, they must come to the office and make a $25,000 or $50,000 deposit.

After ending the phone call, the suspect tells the intended victim that she needs help because she is not a legal resident of the U.S. and that if the victim will advance the deposit money, once the winnings are collected, the victim will be repaid the deposit and a large amount of cash in appreciation for helping. Once the victim turns over the cash to the suspect, the suspect disappears.

One suspect (in the accompanying photographs) is described as a Hispanic female, in her early 30s, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with shoulder-length dark hair pulled into a pony tail.

The second suspect is described as a Hispanic female, 50 years old, 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 160 pounds. She is also described as having a dark complexion, short brown hair with highlights, and went by the name “Gloria.”

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact Sunnyvale Detective Kim at (408) 730-7138.