Scammers Rob Woman of Life Savings With Promise of Lottery Winnings

Two scammers managed to weasel "a large sum of money" out of a San Jose woman.

Cops are on the lookout for a pair of thieves who managed to weasel a woman out of her life savings, according to reports.

A pair of Hispanic men approached the woman at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 at 24th and San Antonio streets in San Jose, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

After using a "ruse" that one of the men was looking for "a business," a second man convinced the woman to get into a "dark gray minivan" with the two scammers, the newspaper reported. The second man then pulled out a lottery ticket that he claimed was worth "a lot of money," according to police.

The second man then placed a phone call to what he claimed was the lottery office, according to the newspaper. A woman answered the phone and said that in order to receive the winnings, he needed "collateral" from a U.S. citizen.

The woman believed the story and gave the man "a large sum of money," the newspaper reported. She then watched the men drive away from South King Road and Virginia Avenue.

The men are Latinos. One is 5-foot-7 with short hair and a medium to heavy build and short hair. The second is 5-foot-5 with wavy hair and "a hat," the newspaper reported.

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