SANTA ANA, CA — An Orange County woman lost $45,000 in cash and jewelry after being targeted in a lottery ticket scam, police said.
The incident happened March 19 near Raitt Street and McFadden Avenue in Santa Ana, authorities said.
Investigators said two women approached the victim and claimed they held a winning $2.7 million lottery ticket but could not cash it due to their immigration status.
According to the Santa Ana Police Department, the suspects convinced the victim to enter their vehicle and drove her to her home, where she gathered cash and jewelry amounting to $45,000 to serve as collateral so the suspects could cash the ticket on her behalf.
Police said the suspects then fled with the cache.
The suspects were described as possibly being of South American descent, and they were last seen driving an older model gray Ford Escape with chrome rims.
Residents with information were asked to contact Investigator S. Guzman at 714-245-8416 or SGuzman@santa-ana.org.