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NYPD: Duo Swindled More Than $20,000 In Cash And Jewelry In Lottery Scam

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Two people are being sought in connection with a lottery scam in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Police said a female suspect tells the victims she has a winning lottery ticket, but cannot cash it because she's undocumented.

With a Bible in hand, a male accomplice approaches and says he knows a lawyer who could help, police said.

The suspects then convince the victims to give them money to pay for the lawyer and in exchange for their help, promise to split the winnings from the lottery ticket, police said.

There have been nine incidents since March.

The duo swindled more than $20,000 in cash and jewelry, police said. In one case, an 81-year-old woman gave the suspects $6,000 and $3,600 worth of jewelry.

Police said the female suspect is either in her 40s or 50s, stands between 4-feet-5-inches and 5-feet-3-inches tall and is known to wear a wig. Her accomplice is believed to be in his 50s, about 5-feet-3-inches tall with a slim build. Both suspects are Hispanic.

Authorities say the duo has been running the same scam since March.

Claire Rosenzweig of New York's Better Business Bureau says falling victim to these kinds of crime may be easier than you think.

"The scammer tries to make the person, their victim, feel comfortable with them and the person standing there thinking well maybe it's true," she told CBS 2's Diane Macedo.

So how can you tell it's not?

"Anytime somebody offers you to get rich quick by giving them money first, whatever the story is, it's not true," Rosenzweig said.

Anyone with information in regards to these incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).  The public can also submit their tips to the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

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