<![CDATA[
]]>
This is a very interesting lottery scam where the scammer says she has won a lottery but needs $40,000 to claim the prize. Geez, since when do we need to pay money to collect lottery winnings. If there is any fees/tax required, the lottery agency simply deducts the money from the lottery winnings. Doesn’t this sound stupid? No? Yes? You don’t Know!? In the worst case if this happens, why not ask the Lottery company to give you the Lottery prize, and that you will take out $40,000 FROM the winnings and pay back to them. Does this make better sense now? Anyway, I have not won a real lottery (YET) but I will laugh to my death on the spot if they ask me to produce $40k upfront.

An El Monte woman has pleaded not guilty to orchestrating lottery and travel scams in Los Angeles County.

The district attorney’s office says Delia Tellez faces 31 fraud counts, including 20 new felony charges for which she entered pleas Monday in L.A. County Superior Court.

The 52-year-old is charged in two cases involving 23 alleged victims. Prosecutors say one of her scams involved telling people she won the lottery but needed to raise $40,000 to claim her prize. Tellez is also accused of posing as a travel agent and marketing trips to holy sites in Europe, Mexico and Israel on forged letterhead from religious organizations.

She was arrested Dec. 19 by El Monte police.

Judge Steven Sanora has scheduled a hearing for April 3 to set a date for a preliminary hearing.”