News writer
If a stranger approaches you with a winning lottery ticket and an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That's the message from the NYPD's 71st Precinct, which is warning New Yorkers about a slick scam targeting unsuspecting residents with promises of shared lottery riches.
The scheme may seem harmless at first, but it's leaving victims out of thousands in cash and valuables. And it's not just a one-time thing — this scam has been popping up across the city with alarming frequency.
Latest lottery scam
The 71st Precinct of the NYPD is letting New Yorkers know: stay alert! The police are warning New Yorkers to not fall for a lottery scam that promises them a share of the winnings.
For this particular scam, officials said a person will go up to a stranger and ask them for help in cashing a winning lottery ticket. This person will promise the stranger part of their winnings in exchange for making a cash deposit.
Be warned
Authorities say these supposed lottery winnings are not real. They said you should never redeem a lottery ticket for someone you don't know.
On the New York Lottery website, they list several common scams involving the lottery, including someone calling you up and asking you to pay a fee to claim your winnings or receiving a notification of a winning ticket.
Lottery officials said only people with New York Lottery subscriptions would get a prize notification like that. Officials said you should never cash a check claiming to be from the New York Lottery that includes processing fees.
Not a new concept in New York
These types of lottery scams, which often target elderly folks, have been going on for a while, especially in New York City.
Last month, two suspects in Harlem approached an elderly woman and told her they had a winning lottery ticket and they would share the winnings with her if she helped them out. The woman agreed, but then things got violent.
The suspects threatened to assault the woman before forcing her to take them to her residence. Once at her home, they stole jewelry and cash worth approximately $27,500 before fleeing the scene.
Jewelry is a popular item
It seems like jewelry is a popular item to take for these scammers. A similar incident took place in March 2025 when four men executed a coordinated attack on an 80-year-old woman and stole $17,700 in jewelry.
This one took a lot of planning, as two of the suspects distracted the victim with a fake lottery ticket. Meanwhile, the other two suspects moved in and stole her jewelry. Because of this attention to detail, it definitely seems like the criminals had done it before.
For any New Yorkers that suspect or have fallen victim to a lottery scam, they can contact the Federal Trade Commission by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP or online.
Enjoy playing the New York Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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