On Your Side: Lottery Scam
posted 8:26 pm Fri October 19, 2007 -
-WJLA Script-
Anchor:
POWERBALL, MEGA MILLIONS, SCRATCH TICKETS..THE LURE OF WINNING IT BIG. IT'S HARD TO RESIST BUT WATCH OUT! TONIGHT 7 ON YOUR SIDE HAS THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF A DC MAN WHO RISKED IT ALL FOR THE BIG PAY OFF... AND LOST.
Ross on Set:
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE LEGITIMATE LOTTERIES...WERE TALKING ABOUT THOSE FOREIGN PROMISES OF BIG WINNINGS THAT COME IN THE MAIL..SCAM ARTISTS ARE HOPING YOU'LL BITE. LAST YEAR AMERICANS DID...TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 120 MILLION DOLLARS.
Story:
Elizabeth Hone, Federal Trade Commission: "Wow"
URGENT, THE CLAIMS DEPARTMENT HAS A CHECK WAITING FOR YOU IN THE AMOUNT OF 4 MILLION DOLLARS.
Elizabeth Hone, Federal Trade Commission: "It's a horrible, horrible scam."
THAT CAN ROB YOU OF YOUR LIVELIHOOD.
Jerry Watts: "Find something to you know so I can get this rent paid."
JERRY WATTS IS BROKE.
Ross: "How much have you spent on this?"
Jerry Watts: "Anywhere from 45 to 60 Thousand dollars."
JUST LOOK AT ALL THE OFFERS..BUT TO GET THE WINNINGS HE'D HAVE TO PAY THE TAXES. LEGALLY, WE CAN'T BROADCAST THE CALL BUT HE'S ASKED TO SEND ANOTHER 399 DOLLARS.
Jerry Watts: "Will that be all of it."
LOOK AT THIS STACK OF WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFERS..MANY IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. Jerry Watts: "Canada, Jamaica and Spain. I haven't collected anything, nothing."
Elizabeth Hone, Federal Trade Commission:"It's the 3rd most reported complaint to the Federal Trade Commission."
A THOUSAND COMPLAINTS IN DC LAST YEAR.
Elizabeth Hone, Federal Trade Commission: "Stop think."
Ross: "You're lying to this gentleman, and now you've got the ABC television station in Washington DC investigating you. Never call him again."
Ross on Set:
AND WATCH OUT FOR THESE TOO..OFFICIAL LOOKING CHECKS..TO HELP PAY THE TAXES ON THE WINNINGS. THE CHECKS ARE FAKE. THE GOVERNMENT INTERCEPTED MORE THAN 2 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH AND IS PROMISING A CRACKDOWN ON THESE SCHEMES. IF YOU NEED HELP..GO TO WJLA.COM AND CLICK ON "7 ON YOUR SIDE" OR CALL OUR TOLL FREE HOTLINE..866-236-3401.
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