Melrose store owner accused of being scum

By adamg on Sat., 12/20/2014 - 12:30 pm

WBZ reports the store owner told a mentally disabled customer his winning lottery ticket was worth $1,000 - and gave him $950 in cash for it. The ticket was actually worth $10,000.

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Business

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Melrose

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Comments

Dirty Bastard!

By UHubMixologist
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 12:44pm

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz blackberry brandy
cranberry juice
1 squeeze limes

Pour vodka, brandy and cranberry juice (to taste) into an ice-filled highball glass. Add one squeeze of lime, and serve.

There ara probably alot of Mass Lottery Agents throughout Mass doing the same thing, taking someones lottery winnings! Taking advantage of the mentally disabled, the elderly, non english speaking residents etc.
What an Asshole!

I thought there was a cash limit?

By SwirlyGrrl
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 1:28pm

Isn't there a limit on how much a store could pay out before someone had to go to lottery HQ to cash it in? Something below even 1,000?

I also love how the person caught onto the scam and asked a family member. Good for them!

Yes, the article says exactly that

By Ron Newman
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 1:41pm

"The owner offered cash, which is a violation because any prize over $600 must be cashed at the lottery office."

This lottery agent's ass

By Ql
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 4:45pm

This lottery agent's ass should be in Jail, the fact it was a $10,000 winning ticket and told the Disabled customer "no, it's a $1,000 winning ticket" and payed the disabled person $1000.00 or $950.00.
This story should be on ABC's 20/20 .

If players try to cash anything over $600 at a store...

By Cleary Squared
Sun, 12/21/2014 - 9:26pm

...all that would show up is "FILE CLAIM", which indicates the player must fill out a claim at one of the lottery offices. The player would then see their winnings, less 5% withholding (or an additional 25% if the prize is over $5,000), on the check and on their W2-G form.

This particular cashier thought he was pretty slick, too...notice that he tried to give the winner $950, which is $1,000 less the $50 paid. It is indeed good for the family to discover, "hey, wait a minute...didja forget an extra zero?".

If the cashier had not tried to cheat the player, they would have gotten a 1% commission ($100) but instead, lottery officials will come in, remove the machines, the scratch tickets, the betting slips, the promotions, and everything else from that store. Then, the matter of prosecution: larceny over $250, theft by deception, etc.

He's just playing by the 'rules'

By Scooterdude
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 2:30pm

This seems to be the modus operandi for not only lottery sales, but high-finance as well... This guy is only following Wall St. playbook.

Really?

By Ricky Stevens
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 3:16pm

Yes, Wall St. types are awful but... can we just stick to the story without getting on a soapbox or trying to be clever.

But wait! A Globe columnist is talking to the owner as we speak!

By anon
Sat, 12/20/2014 - 3:21pm

It turns out the store owner was really super stressed out because he just had a meeting with his son's karate teacher but it went really well and he was so relieved and he rushed back to the store. In his haste to wait on the customer, he forgot his glasses and misread the ticket as a $1,000 winner and only had $950 on hand so he swears he was going to give the guy the other $50 next time he came in, then he forgot because he was so busy with his kids and with running the store.