January 9, 2006

CRIME STOPPER

TYPE OF CRIME: Lottery Scam

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

Last November, 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.

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 ponytail. 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 or Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-STOP(7867).

CRIME STOPPERS is a cooperative effort between the local media, San Jose Police Department, and a citizen Board of Directors. Once a week an unsolved police case is presented to the public. Citizens are urged to call 947-STOP if they have information on any other serious crime and remain anonymous. Rewards of up to $1,000 are offered for information leading to an arrest. You
do not give your name, you are given a code number.