News writer
For many, church is a place of peace, faith, and community — a sanctuary from the troubles of the world. But for some elderly parishioners in Detroit, it became the setting of a cruel lottery scam that drained their savings and shattered their trust.
Convinced they had won a life-changing prize, victims handed over thousands in gift cards, only to realize too late that the jackpot was nothing more than a scam. Now, as police investigate, one woman is speaking out, hoping to prevent others from falling into the same trap.
A lottery scam at a church
People go to church as a place of worship, as a safe space. However, a church in Detroit was not a safe space for some of the elderly parishioners there.
WDIV talked with one of the victims, who lost about $3,000 in the scam. The woman, who was too scared to show her face, said she spent her life savings buying gift cards and then handing them over to a lottery thief who promised a big prize that was never delivered.
The victim told WDIV that she didn't think she was being taken advantage of because she was approached while at her church and told she'd won it big. She said, “I tried to let it go, but I can't let it go. It's upsetting.”
Her kids warned her
The victim thought she was getting some good news, especially since it took place at her church. Despite that, her kids warned her it was a scam, and now she sees they were right.
She said she's been going to this church since she was a little girl. The victim stated:
My family came here, so I didn't feel that it was a hoax or anything like that or a scam. I didn't feel that way.
The victim's children are concerned about this scam taking place at the church, and so they wanted their mother to speak out.
How did the lottery scam work?
So, how did the lottery scam take place at the church? The victim said the scammer targeted members of the congregation and told them that she would help them get their winnings from Publisher's Clearing House.
In order to do that, she needed gift cards first. The victim spent thousands of dollars during the process.
The scammer would contact these victims and ask them for more money in order to get their winnings. She contacted the victim and told her to go and get the gift cards.
Now, the victim is worried about her bills and future since she spent her savings on these gift cards. She explained:
I'm on a fixed income, so it bothers me. My kids told me, 'Momma, let it go. It was a scam.' And I'm telling them, I can't let it go like that.
Police are investigating
Now that the victim has come forward, police are investigating the situation. However, it's unlikely that she will get the actual money back, and the scammer has likely moved on to their next target on the east side of Detroit.
Authorities have reached out to the congregation. Police believe the person may have been targeting people in this area, but they are actually from the Saginaw area — about an hour and a half north of Detroit.
Officials are urging residents that there really is no lottery that would make you pay money upfront in order to claim your prize. If that happens, it's always a big red flag.
Enjoy playing the Michigan Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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