Fraudster posing as $70M lottery winner, promising free money on Facebook
Someone has been posing online as a recent lottery millionaire from B.C.'s Lower Mainland, promising free money to desperate people from around the world in an apparent ploy to defraud them.
The actual lottery winner, Christine Lauzon of Burnaby, claimed a Lotto Max jackpot of $70 million last October. At the time, she told the B.C. Lottery Corporation she planned to share some of her winnings with family, then speak with a financial advisor before deciding what to do next.
Weeks after her win, a Facebook account under her name, with a profile picture of Lauzon accepting her prize, posted a seemingly generous offer to people in need.
"I have volunteerilly decided to help people financially, to uplift businesses, to help pay medical bills and other depressing attention worth issues (sic)," it reads. "Let me know if you faced difficulty/depressing situations that you wanna share with me and seek help."
CTV News contacted the BCLC, which was able to reach Lauzon and confirm she is not behind the Facebook page.
A number of other fake accounts have also made posts thanking Lauzon, providing testimonials about receiving up to $10,000, no strings attached.
"Thanks to Christine. She just paid the mortgage on my house," one account wrote. "I have been so devastated since my business has been having issues since the COVID, and she just assisted me, without asking anything for her. May God bless her."
Real people who came across the page had different experiences. CTV News has heard from two women who were almost taken in, including someone from Lautoka, Fiji, who was thrilled at the opportunity for help fixing her family home.
"Every time there's heavy rain our house is flooded. The water goes inside half of the house, and we have to try to get out and go up to the church," she said.
The woman, who asked that her name not be published, messaged the fraudulent Christine Lauzon page on Jan. 1, and heard back hours later.
"I was telling her about how my situation is pretty hard, and she told me she was willing to help, but she was only helping through Bitcoin," she said.
"I told her I just need a little bit of help, $1,000, but she said she was going to send $100,000."
A fraudulent Facebook account posing as a B.C. lottery winner promised to give free money to people in need, but only if they deposited money in a Bitcoin wallet first.
The woman was devastated to learn the account is fake, but told CTV News she's thankful she hasn't lost any money of her own.
Screenshots of her conversation with the scammer show she was pressured into opening a Bitcoin wallet, and told she had to find a way to deposit $300 before she would receive any financial help. She had not been able to gather the money by the time she was contacted by CTV News.
The names of local lottery winners have been used in a number of previous scams, including one that promised up to $1 million in exchange for sensitive personal information from the targets.
The B.C. Lottery Corporation encouraged anyone who suspects criminal activity, such as fraud involving a lottery winner's identity, to contact police.
"BCLC cares about our players and we encourage them to contact us if they have questions or concerns," a spokesperson said in an email.
CTV News reached out to Facebook, which confirmed Friday that the account has been removed for violating the company's policy regarding misrepresentation.
"We will continue to monitor and take action in line with our policies and strongly encourage people to use all available reporting and blocking tools," a spokesperson said in an email.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
Man ticketed after allegedly trespassing again at Drake's Bridle Path mansion to get his bike
A man who tried to access Drake’s Bridle Path mansion earlier this week returned to the property Saturday and was apprehended again for allegedly trespassing, Toronto police say.
Switzerland's Nemo wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest
Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with 'The Code,' an operatic ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing their nongender identity.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Israel orders new evacuations in Gaza's last refuge of Rafah as it expands military offensive
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to leave as it prepared to expand its military operation deeper into what is considered Gaza’s last refuge.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.