Polk detectives look for lotto ticket scammers

Image 1 of 2

Don't be too trusting, because there are plenty of people out there ready willing and able to take you for everything you've got.

Detectives are looking for a guy accused of pulling a lottery ticket scam.  They say on Wednesday, he and a female accomplice approached a woman walking to a bus stop in Winter Haven.  The female scammer said she had a winning lottery ticket worth a half-million dollars, but couldn't claim it because she was an illegal immigrant.

She offered to sell it for a few thousand bucks, and the victim handed over the cash.

A few weeks ago, they pulled the same con on a woman shopping at the Posner Center in east Polk County. 

In both cases, they told the victims that the female scammer had a headache, then asked the victims to go buy medicine for her.  In both cases, they did, but when the victims came out, the scammers were gone -- and so was their money.

Detectives describe the man as 5-foot-10 and 250 pounds, with salt and pepper hair, black jeans, and a black and white checkered shirt.

They say the female suspect is Hispanic, in her 40s, 5-foot-5, slim, and speaks with an accent.

If you know anything about this, investigators ask you to call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS.