Wrong numbers: Lotto error stings Colo. couple
April 12th, 2011 at 5:31:43 PM
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This is the kind of thing that usually happens only in the movies: MSNBC link. No particular question, I just thought I would share the article, to spread the pain a bit.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
April 12th, 2011 at 6:23:38 PM
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Kind of balances out the time an Oregon newspaper mistakenly published the winning numbers a day early ... a coincidence of the numbers from an out of state lottery being published in the wrong box in the paper ... but then those being the ones that were in fact drawn the very next day.
April 12th, 2011 at 7:48:03 PM
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Well that sucks. All that virtual money gone in an instant.
OFFICIALLY and justifiably reclaimed my title as SuperHotBlonde!
April 12th, 2011 at 8:12:19 PM
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Speaking of which, did anybody notice the last MegaMillions jackpot was won by a group of state workers in Albany, New York? I'll say it again: what is with the groups of government pencil-pushers winning huge jackpots? Is bureaucratic work that boring that you have to play the lottery?
link.
link.
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
April 12th, 2011 at 8:14:43 PM
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They need to actually accomplish something from time to time, so they buy a lottery ticket and generate memos about it.
April 12th, 2011 at 8:23:01 PM
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Quote: teddysIs bureaucratic work that boring that you have to play the lottery?
Yes! Government work is like teaching, once hired it is almost impossible to be fired. Those who can't preform are shoved to the side to do nothing all day, except for such things as creating lottery pools with each other. My qualification to speak on this matter is 10 years as a federal government employee.
I'd like to add that not all government employees are like this. Most of them are hard working people who take pride in their work.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
April 12th, 2011 at 8:25:21 PM
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Quote: teddysIs bureaucratic work
That's a contradiction in terms.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
April 12th, 2011 at 9:54:41 PM
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Did you note the comments on the website? I wonder about those MSNBC boarders...
Quote: deweydan on MSNBC board
I sure feel sorry for them That happens to me a lot. Just last week I got 5 numbers correct, then learned they have to be on the same ticket. I can't win for losing.
Quote: USMALE on MSNBC board
yeah i came really cose to winning the lottery too but my numbers were wrong
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
April 18th, 2011 at 10:37:29 AM
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A number of years ago I came home to find a scratch ticket in our mailbox, accompanied by a brief letter saying every household in the neighborhood was getting one as part of some promotion, details are quite fuzzy now though I saw the neighbors got one as well. What I do remember is playing it and uncovering the grand prize, a quarter million dollars. After a family meeting we couldn't decide what to do with it, it looked obviously too good to be true but then we couldn't figure why anyone would spend that time and resource for a hoax. We floated several theories around, including the Nigerian 'advance fee' scam, or a tv prank show where the cameraman would ambush us when we went to collect the prize. None of us played those things at the time so we didn't even think to check with the gaming commission, the card just sat there on the kitchen table.
By nightfall my dad finally trashed it, declaring that 'nobody just walks by and shoves a quarter million dollars in your mail'. I never found out about it, still piques my curiosity every once in a while.
By nightfall my dad finally trashed it, declaring that 'nobody just walks by and shoves a quarter million dollars in your mail'. I never found out about it, still piques my curiosity every once in a while.
April 18th, 2011 at 10:49:02 AM
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Well, none of the other neighbors were excitedly running around jabbering about their good fortune in winning a quarter million dollars so either the other tickets were different but you did win or else, and much more likely, everyone else did have the same ticket but also had the brains to immediately realize it was bogus and just toss it without any further thought at all.
Most likely its one of these.. no we can't take the tax from the quarter million, federal law (and/or our insurance company) requires you to send us the 2,017.22 to us first. Also the lottery ticket is a value "up to 250,000" or its 250,000 discount on the price of some land thats available for you to visit anytime you think all the alligators are asleep.
Most likely its one of these.. no we can't take the tax from the quarter million, federal law (and/or our insurance company) requires you to send us the 2,017.22 to us first. Also the lottery ticket is a value "up to 250,000" or its 250,000 discount on the price of some land thats available for you to visit anytime you think all the alligators are asleep.
April 18th, 2011 at 11:17:37 AM
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Wouldn't be good anyway since you didn't pay for it and there was no consideration for the prize. Wouldn't have held up legally anywhere.Quote: gogA number of years ago I came home to find a scratch ticket in our mailbox, accompanied by a brief letter saying every household in the neighborhood was getting one as part of some promotion, details are quite fuzzy now though I saw the neighbors got one as well. What I do remember is playing it and uncovering the grand prize, a quarter million dollars. After a family meeting we couldn't decide what to do with it, it looked obviously too good to be true but then we couldn't figure why anyone would spend that time and resource for a hoax. We floated several theories around, including the Nigerian 'advance fee' scam, or a tv prank show where the cameraman would ambush us when we went to collect the prize. None of us played those things at the time so we didn't even think to check with the gaming commission, the card just sat there on the kitchen table.
By nightfall my dad finally trashed it, declaring that 'nobody just walks by and shoves a quarter million dollars in your mail'. I never found out about it, still piques my curiosity every once in a while.
Any promotion requires you to give something in return. Even giving personal info for a players club card is enough. I would rest easy.
(I don't know how this jibes with the "no purchase required" portion of a lot of sweepstakes, so I'm partially talking out of my a$$ here. Lawyers?)
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
April 18th, 2011 at 1:07:12 PM
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I'm no lawyer, but I sometimes pretend to be one...Quote: teddysAny promotion requires you to give something in return. Even giving personal info for a players club card is enough. I would rest easy.
(I don't know how this jibes with the "no purchase required" portion of a lot of sweepstakes, so I'm partially talking out of my a$$ here. Lawyers?)
I've seen those contests too. I've also seen that the fine print says they can use the name/photo of winners for promotional purposes. So if N&A is goos enough for players cards, name & photo should be good enough for contests.
I invented a few casino games. Info:
http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ —————————————————————————————————————
Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
April 18th, 2011 at 2:12:22 PM
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If they make you pay for the ticket its an unlawful lottery. Thats why fast food promotions can limit you to one visit per hour but can't say 'we are only giving the ticket to paying customers'.
Its undoubtedly a worthless ticket. Some merchant once sent dozens of "checks" out that were clearly just 5,000 dollars off coupons on buying a car at his dealership or something but vaguely resembled a check sufficient to fool one very dumb couple who promptly went out and spent all their savings celebrating because they would receive 5,000 dollars the following Monday.
Its undoubtedly a worthless ticket. Some merchant once sent dozens of "checks" out that were clearly just 5,000 dollars off coupons on buying a car at his dealership or something but vaguely resembled a check sufficient to fool one very dumb couple who promptly went out and spent all their savings celebrating because they would receive 5,000 dollars the following Monday.
April 18th, 2011 at 3:31:14 PM
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Sad story, back in 1998, remember when Pepsi had those under-the-cap games on their 20oz products? You could win a million dollars, or a Mustang, or more likely, another 20oz beverage. Almost 100% of the time you either got a 20oz or nothing, which was shown under the cap in that cheap dot print that just said '20oz' or 'try again'.
I was on my way to Berrie, Ontario when we stopped at the local Hess and I grabbed a 20oz Pepsi. When I cracked the top, the underside of the cap had a white insert where the cheap dot print usually was. It said 'Jackpot' around one edge, the french word for 'Jackpot' on the opposite edge, and a bunch of other details in the middle all printed in crisp laserjet. But it didn't say what I won.
Needless to say, the 17yr old mind on his way to a Beastie Boys concert doesn't make the best decisions, and I didn't feel like taking time out of my get drunk and chase girls schedule to make a phone call. Today, if you were to search my father basement for my jar of oddities, you'll find this very bottle cap.
I'm almost afraid to ask, but any ideas on what I missed out on? I'm still kind of curious, even though part of me doesn't want to know. Convincing myself that it simply looked funny because it was Canadian lets me sleep at night.
I was on my way to Berrie, Ontario when we stopped at the local Hess and I grabbed a 20oz Pepsi. When I cracked the top, the underside of the cap had a white insert where the cheap dot print usually was. It said 'Jackpot' around one edge, the french word for 'Jackpot' on the opposite edge, and a bunch of other details in the middle all printed in crisp laserjet. But it didn't say what I won.
Needless to say, the 17yr old mind on his way to a Beastie Boys concert doesn't make the best decisions, and I didn't feel like taking time out of my get drunk and chase girls schedule to make a phone call. Today, if you were to search my father basement for my jar of oddities, you'll find this very bottle cap.
I'm almost afraid to ask, but any ideas on what I missed out on? I'm still kind of curious, even though part of me doesn't want to know. Convincing myself that it simply looked funny because it was Canadian lets me sleep at night.
The opinions of this moderator are for entertainment purposes only.
April 18th, 2011 at 7:21:27 PM
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Quote: FaceI'm almost afraid to ask, but any ideas on what I missed out on? I'm still kind of curious, even though part of me doesn't want to know. Convincing myself that it simply looked funny because it was Canadian lets me sleep at night.
Ouch. It is possible you missed out on a Harley or a Jeep Wrangler... or a pair of fashionable sunglasses:
Quote: Creative Magazine, Week of May 18, 1998
'Pepsi Pop Culture' Promotion Launched
The "Pepsi Pop Culture" promotion has launched nationwide inviting consumers to drink Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Mountain Dew, match the words on specially marked packages to complete popular phrases, and win prizes. Pepsi has distributed more than 130 million Pepsi Pop Culture game boards in-pack and in-store.
By completing popular phrases like The Terminator's "Hasta La Vista Baby!" to boxing's universal rallying call, "Let's Get Ready To Rumble!", consumers can win exciting celebrity experiences that include: dinner with "The Terminator" Arnold Schwarzenegger at Planet Hollywood; a $25,000 shopping spree at Mall of America with Alyssa Milano; and a VIP pass to the MTV Video Music Awards with actor VJ Bill Bellamy. In addition, Pepsi Pop Culture offers consumers more than 2.5 million instant win merchandise prizes that include Harley Davidson Motorcycles, Jeep Wranglers, free HBO for a year, CDs at Sam Goody's, and Arnette Sunglasses."
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci
April 19th, 2011 at 2:49:07 AM
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Three thoughts.
Firstly what if they printed the wrong numbers and the couple threw away their ticket, then the real numbers were printed and they had won, but could not find the ticket again. Much more painful.
Secondly, there was a story here about a guy buying a scratch card, winning £1mill (or other large amount), sending the junior out to buy £5,000 worth of champagne, then telling his boss to stick his job up his ass (he earned about £100,000 a year at the time) and how much he thought his boss was a douche. Then when he called the lottery to claim his winnings, was told that he hadn't scratched off the whole thing and had won nothing. He did not get to keep his job.
Thirdly, a guy won 10,000 euros, and was told he had to collect the money from the HQ rather than be paid out instantly. So he ate his ticket. http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0227/ryanair.html
Firstly what if they printed the wrong numbers and the couple threw away their ticket, then the real numbers were printed and they had won, but could not find the ticket again. Much more painful.
Secondly, there was a story here about a guy buying a scratch card, winning £1mill (or other large amount), sending the junior out to buy £5,000 worth of champagne, then telling his boss to stick his job up his ass (he earned about £100,000 a year at the time) and how much he thought his boss was a douche. Then when he called the lottery to claim his winnings, was told that he hadn't scratched off the whole thing and had won nothing. He did not get to keep his job.
Thirdly, a guy won 10,000 euros, and was told he had to collect the money from the HQ rather than be paid out instantly. So he ate his ticket. http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0227/ryanair.html
http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/10042-woes-black-sheep-game-ii/#post151727
April 19th, 2011 at 7:03:58 AM
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Quote: WizardofEnglandSecondly, there was a story here about a guy buying a scratch card, winning £1mill (or other large amount), sending the junior out to buy £5,000 worth of champagne, then telling his boss to stick his job up his ass (he earned about £100,000 a year at the time) and how much he thought his boss was a douche. Then when he called the lottery to claim his winnings, was told that he hadn't scratched off the whole thing and had won nothing. He did not get to keep his job.
That has URBAN LEGEND written all over it. Large prize, rash actions, lavish celebration, and an illogical reason why he didn't win.
Quote:Thirdly, a guy won 10,000 euros, and was told he had to collect the money from the HQ rather than be paid out instantly. So he ate his ticket. http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0227/ryanair.html
He couldn't find any other paper to eat? :P
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
April 19th, 2011 at 7:43:52 AM
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Quote: NareedThat has URBAN LEGEND written all over it. Large prize, rash actions, lavish celebration, and an illogical reason why he didn't win.
It is 100% true, I will find the article.
http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/10042-woes-black-sheep-game-ii/#post151727
April 19th, 2011 at 7:45:07 AM
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Found it
http://imaginativeworlds.com/forum/showthread.php?6564-Salesman-sunk-by-mistaken-lottery-win
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/6209462.stm
http://imaginativeworlds.com/forum/showthread.php?6564-Salesman-sunk-by-mistaken-lottery-win
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/6209462.stm
http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/10042-woes-black-sheep-game-ii/#post151727
April 19th, 2011 at 8:00:55 AM
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Quote: WizardofEnglandIt is 100% true, I will find the article.
Well, going by the BBC link, which I trust more, it's true, but not 100%, and the added details have made it an urban legend.
In particular both links agree the man missread his numbers. That's logical and highly probable. Not that he failed to scratch off the whole ticket and that somehow rendered it null and void, as the original post implies.
Two lottery stories:
1) Once I won a small prize (around $300 US) but had to cash it at the lotto agency's office. The machine had trouble reading the ticket, so the cashier had to input it by hand. I asked her how many winning tickets they reject and she said, "None. If a ticket is valid and reasonably whole, we pay it."
That's why I'm skeptical about lotto agencies not paying off tickets on a technicality.
2) A popular story in Mexico and Latin America tells of a man who buys anywhere from 60 to 100 lottery tickets (pre-printed), and has to sell them off before the drawing because his wife is angry he wasted so much money on the lottery. the stories vary on whether the man kept one ticket or not. in any case the number wins and the wife is forever sorry and meek.
Very nice story. Except it's a fictional short story first published in Spain many yearsa go. I've read the original story (100 tickets, guy keeps one), and it was better than the urban legends that grew around it.
So don't believe everything you read, and dont' eat your winning tickets.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
April 19th, 2011 at 8:04:54 AM
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Have you ever heard about the lottery scam?
You are approached by a foreign person who has bought a lottery ticket, is has 4 correct numbers for about £150.
They claim they cannot collect the money as they are not British, and offer to sell you the ticket for £100.
You check the date, the numbers and everything is correct. The ticket is a genuine ticket.
where is the scam?
You are approached by a foreign person who has bought a lottery ticket, is has 4 correct numbers for about £150.
They claim they cannot collect the money as they are not British, and offer to sell you the ticket for £100.
You check the date, the numbers and everything is correct. The ticket is a genuine ticket.
where is the scam?
http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/10042-woes-black-sheep-game-ii/#post151727
April 19th, 2011 at 8:15:17 AM
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Quote: WizardofEnglandwhere is the scam?
Fake ticket? For less money than you're paying?
As far as I know all lotteries and casinos take and pay money from/to any person regardless of nationality. So the hook and bait story is bogus.
It may also be a variation on the lost wallet scam. You may pay the 100 sterling and walk way without a valid ticket. Either they'll switch tickets and give you a phony one, or a blank piece of paper.
I've heard of a similar scam running in Vegas with casino chips held by a barred player.
The answer is always the same: any dubious claim of "...but I can't cash this because..." should be met by a polite "Sorry, I can't help you." Then either walk away or look for a cop.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
April 19th, 2011 at 8:19:54 AM
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Ok I will leave you dangling a little longer.
In the UK you have to meet certain criteria to be able to claim the prize. The seller does not meet this criteria.
The ticket is 100% genuine. It has the watermark in it.
In the UK you have to meet certain criteria to be able to claim the prize. The seller does not meet this criteria.
The ticket is 100% genuine. It has the watermark in it.
http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/10042-woes-black-sheep-game-ii/#post151727
April 19th, 2011 at 8:21:51 AM
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4 numbers used to be around a 60 quid prize.
The seller might not be over 18, but not sure that matters.
The ticket might have been claimed already, but I think they stamp it or retain it. Ahhh... ticket sellers aren't allowed to enter the lottery are they?
The seller might not be over 18, but not sure that matters.
The ticket might have been claimed already, but I think they stamp it or retain it. Ahhh... ticket sellers aren't allowed to enter the lottery are they?
"Then you can admire the real gambler, who has neither eaten, slept, thought nor lived, he has so smarted under the scourge of his martingale, so suffered on the rack of his desire for a coup at trente-et-quarante" - Honore de Balzac, 1829
April 19th, 2011 at 8:28:20 AM
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Quote: WizardofEnglandOk I will leave you dangling a little longer.
That's fine.
I admit I'm curious, but that doesn't affect my answer. I'd still say "No, thanks" and walk away. Winning lotto tickets, casino chips, certified checks, cashier checks, gift certificates, etc etc are almost as good as cash. That is to say all such instruments guarantee payment. If you're having trouble cashing/depositing them, then you're doing something wrong or criminal, and in any case it's not my problem.
Donald Trump is a fucking criminal
April 19th, 2011 at 8:30:11 AM
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Quote: thecesspitAhhh... ticket sellers aren't allowed to enter the lottery are they?
That was my guess as well, since in canada there are rampant stories about convenience store owners abusing the system.
April 19th, 2011 at 8:39:02 AM
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Quote: WizardofEnglandOk I will leave you dangling a little longer.
If everything about the ticket is legit, well -
The scam is then in how you check the numbers, since you need to know the lottery's actual website or phone number. Unless you are a regular player, you don't, so they give you the number (or, today, it can be a website) operated by an accomplice.
It can't be an actual winning ticket, current or even past, because to obtain one for the scam you'd have to literally win the lottery first. Buying them till you win, even if you do a switch, is not viable due to uncertainty, excessive investment for the payout, and limited ticket lifetime.
Resist ANFO Boston PRISM Stormfront IRA Freedom CIA Obama
April 19th, 2011 at 8:52:01 AM
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Ok I will tell you.
The ticket is for a future draw where the date is similar. They have used chemicals and a printer to remove and change the date to the date of the draw where the numbers match. The amount of the prize is not important, but it is usually low enough that you dont think its too good to be true, and low enough that you dont go to the police, but high enough that you stand to make a decent amount of profit. Also going to police would be tricky as you are buying a ticket from someone who was not allowed to play, and that act may in itself be a crime.
The ticket is for a future draw where the date is similar. They have used chemicals and a printer to remove and change the date to the date of the draw where the numbers match. The amount of the prize is not important, but it is usually low enough that you dont think its too good to be true, and low enough that you dont go to the police, but high enough that you stand to make a decent amount of profit. Also going to police would be tricky as you are buying a ticket from someone who was not allowed to play, and that act may in itself be a crime.
http://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/general/10042-woes-black-sheep-game-ii/#post151727
April 19th, 2011 at 11:37:09 AM
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Quote: gogThat was my guess as well, since in canada there are rampant stories about convenience store owners abusing the system.
That was on the instant wins and some store owners telling people that came into check that they didn't have a winner...
"Then you can admire the real gambler, who has neither eaten, slept, thought nor lived, he has so smarted under the scourge of his martingale, so suffered on the rack of his desire for a coup at trente-et-quarante" - Honore de Balzac, 1829
April 19th, 2011 at 3:23:56 PM
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Quote: thecesspitThat was on the instant wins and some store owners telling people that came into check that they didn't have a winner...
It was on lots of different kinds of tickets not just instant win. For the lottery scam, the store owner would take the ticket, but use a non-winner to scan it in the machine, and then tell you it had lost. Then they check the real ticket later.
Here was one such example:
Article at the Toronto Sun on one of the lottery frauds
There are tons more and some investigative journalism programs were all over the case. The Ontario Ombudsman even got involved:
Ombudsman press release on insider lottery wins
April 19th, 2011 at 4:24:15 PM
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Usually the mark only glances at the date digits but examines the numbers very carefully so they just wait till its a very minor date alteration, buy a ticket for the numbers that won on a prior date and then give some hard luck story about unable to cash it because they are not citizens or have trouble with the IRS or something. The mark never realizes that March 11 has been changed to March 17 or something like that.Quote: WizardofEnglandwhere is the scam?
April 19th, 2011 at 4:28:23 PM
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Yeah, one lottery ticket seller "won" the jackpot and bought up most of the land in the town ... no one will ever really know who actually won that ticket. Someone probably came in and trusted him to scan it properly. Even the self-service bar code readers only say Winner or Not a Winner. They never say: Big winner or Was a winner but has expired or anything at all that is really informative.
