Queens Woman Loses About $5,000 in Jewelry in Fake Lottery Ticket Scam
A Queens woman gave two men approximately $5,000 worth of jewelry after they claimed they had a winning lottery ticket they could not collect. The suspects fled after sending her into a pharmacy.
A 69-year-old Queens woman lost jewelry valued at approximately $5,000 after two men allegedly used a fake winning lottery ticket to trick her into handing over the items, according to details from the investigation.
The incident occurred on Aug. 8 in the Woodhaven area of Queens, near 86th Street and 78th Avenue. The two men approached the woman and claimed they had a lottery ticket that had won a prize.
The suspects told her they could not collect the supposed winnings because of their immigration status. The explanation was part of the story used to gain her confidence and persuade her to accept the ticket in exchange for the jewelry she was wearing.
After the woman gave the men her jewelry, they asked her to go to a nearby pharmacy to purchase medication. She went inside the pharmacy, leaving the suspects outside with the items.
The men then fled with the jewelry while she was in the pharmacy. They were reportedly traveling in a gray BMW, according to information connected to the investigation.
The NYPD is investigating the theft. Police have released surveillance images and are seeking the public's help in identifying the two suspects.
The case involves a fabricated lottery prize, an exchange for valuable personal property and a planned distraction that allowed the suspects to leave before the woman realized she had been deceived. The investigation remains focused on identifying the men shown in the surveillance images.
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