On Your Side Alert - Fake Lottery Email Targets Deaf and Hard of Hearing:
Criminals are now targeting the Hearing Impaired. A viewer contacted 12 On Your Side after she was fooled into believing she'd hit the jackpot.
You've probably never heard of the United States Deaf Lottery and it's for good reason: it doesn't exist. But that's not stopping cyber crooks. An email claiming to be from the phony organization is showing up in local inboxes. The viewer, who admittedly fell for this, was too embarrassed to talk on camera but didn't want anyone else to be fooled and called 12 On Your Side to spread the word.
To activate this feature, press the "CC" button.
Ron Lanier, Director of the Virginia Department for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, said, "To me it is like, how dare they. But we all know there are people out there like this. But usually when I see something like that, I immediately delete it."
Like with most of these email deceptions, these criminals are phishing for information. Our viewer was told her Deaf friend had recently won $550,000 and she was a winner too. The catch was that to collect, she had to give up loads of personal information including her banking details. "It is someone trying to get something from you and you will get nothing in return," Lanier said...
Read The Full Story.
Hundreds More Possible Victims in Deaf Lottery Scam Investigation:
Police say they're looking at hundreds more potential victims in a Deaf Lottery scam investigation. A detective for Westerville P.D. says he first thought there were about 300 victims in a scam involving a fake Deaf Awareness Lottery. Now, he believes there could be 1200 people all over the country. A woman who lives in a Westerville Deaf community is accused of helping the scammers by communicating with elderly Deaf women across the country.
A woman who knows the Deaf community well agrees with police that trust played a big role. If the person that was telling somebody they were Deaf and they were talking to a Deaf absolutely they would trust them, said Joan Marie Johnston. Johnston was married to a Deaf man for more than 50 years and about 60% of her friends are Deaf. The person who pulled this other lady in I don't know who it is but shame on them, said Johnston.
SOURCE
Deaf Lottery Case: Resident faces charges in Deaf community scam:
A Westerville woman who is Deaf faces charges of theft from an elderly person for her role in a scam that reportedly preyed upon other members of the Deaf community.Elaine Katz, 76, is accused of being a part of a nationwide scam that involved her calling other Deaf senior citizens to convince them to wire money as part of a fake "Deaf Awareness Lottery" scheme. Katz's Westerville residence was searched and she was taken into custody and booked in February, though she was never jailed.
On July 23, Katz pled not guilty to theft from an elderly person in Franklin County Municipal Court, and her hearing is set for Sept. 22. The case is largely based on one victim in Florida. But authorities say that Katz may have contacted up to 1,200 other victims via a video phone, a common form of communication in the Deaf community.
Authorities said they were unable to confirm how many other cases of fraud may be involved due to logistical difficulties and time constraints. Katz lives in Westerville's Columbus Colony Elderly Care, a facility off South Sunbury Road owned and operated by the Ohio School of the Deaf Alumni Association. Columbus Colony focuses on care for Deaf and Blind seniors.
Ted Smith, a Westerville Division of Police detective who handles fraud cases, had been tracking the Katz case since January, and helped lead the way on the case. He said that Katz's own deafness and age made the case difficult to handle...
Read The Full Story.
The "Deaf Lottery" From Australia, Is This a Fake or Real?:
Here's a perfect example - it's hard to believe that some of the sources found a website called "The Deaf Lottery Australia" - www.TheDeafLottery.au.com, is this a scam website? You decide...mostly Deaf people don't felling into the scammers.
Scam Alert - Protect Yourself From National Association of the Deaf:
A message from National Association of the Deaf (NAD) - Have you received a message from a “Deaf Charity” or a “Deaf Lottery” that said you won money? Did the message mention the National Association of the Deaf (NAD)? Beware. The NAD does not participate in “Deaf Charity” or “Deaf Lottery” programs.
Scam, cheat, fraud, trick, and swindle. For example, you may receive a message from a “Deaf Charity” or “Deaf Lottery” saying you won money. They may ask for more information about you. They may say you must pay money before you can get your lottery money. They may try to make you feel foolish for not sending your money to get more money. Other people may send you a message claiming they won lottery money, and now you can win. This is a scam. Sample Scam Message.
Please warning people not to reply to the bogus emails. If you think you're a victim, contact your bank right away. You can also report the email to Internet Crime Complaint Center - IC3.gov.
Be aware, educate, and protect yourself. Share this blog to your loved ones and friends about the scam awareness: Deaf Lottery - Scam Awareness.
