Riverside couple targets Latinas in lottery scam

Published Mar 29, 2012 3:37 PM

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A screenshot from a Goodwill surveillance camera. The woman with brown hair is one of the suspected robbers.

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While others are excited about the $540 Mega Millions jackpot, Riverside authorities are looking for man and woman targeting Latinas in a lottery scam. Police say the couple gains the victim's trust, then makes off with the cash.

Riverside police say the suspects, a middle-aged couple, have ripped off at least four Spanish-speaking women. The couple targets victims who are shopping alone, most recently at a Goodwill Store.

In a surveillance video of that incident, the man signals toward a woman, the target, with a nod of his head. The female suspect walks up and starts chatting. The police say the routine goes like this: the suspect says she and her partner can get a winning lottery ticket, but they need the target to put up some cash.

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They promise to share the winnings, if the victim can help.

The couple persuades the victims to go to an attorney’s office to seal the deal. Instead, they’re robbed as soon as they get into the suspects’ car.

In the video, the man appears to be about six feet tall and is wearing a baseball cap. The female is stocky with long, light brown hair. The pair could be traveling in a light-colored SUV. Anyone with information is asked to call Riverside Police.