Luling man falls prey to lotto scam

Accused con artist was a Facebook ‘friend’ who promised prizes

A Pride, La., woman was arrested and charged with theft after a Luling man accused her of running an Internet scam that cost him thousands of dollars in entry fees for fake lottery prizes.

“Everything was done over the Internet,” said Capt. Pat Yoes, spokesman for the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.Lynn Brown, 44, of 15132 Scorpio Ave., was arrested on June 9 on warrant at 2867 Brig. Gen. Isaac Smith Ave. in Baton Rouge, according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Brown was charged with theft in value of $5,000 to $24,999.

Brown allegedly “scammed [the] victim for money through a lottery scam saying she worked for the lottery and could help him win,” states the Sheriff’s Office.

The victim’s identity was withheld to encourage others to report these scams, but Yoes said the two were apparently friends.

They spoke regularly over Facebook, where Brown offered to help win some lottery prizes in exchange for a fee. The police traced the checks to Brown, which led to her arrest.From February until Brown’s arrest on June 10, the two steadily corresponded where Brown allegedly promised the man a $20,000 check, Yoes said.

When the victim did not receive a promised prize he reported Brown to the Sheriff’s Office.

As of Wednesday, Brown was being held in the Nelson Coleman Correctional Center on $50,000 bond.

 

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