Woman arrested in lottery scam targeting seniors in Prairie

Police say a 27-year-old Toronto woman tricked seniors in Alberta and Manitoba into believing she had won the lottery.

Investigators from Peel Regional Police's (PRP) fraud bureau investigated an “extended lottery fraud” that spanned six months from last August.

According to police, the elderly victims were led to believe they had won the lottery and had to pay a fee to cash out their winnings.

Victims were instructed to send money via wire transfers, as well as mail cash and gift cards to addresses in Mississauga.

Investigators say a woman allegedly took more than $50,000 from multiple victims on Monday, June 12, but police have not released how many victims.

The PRP Fraud Bureau arrested Abigail Aceani Lindsay and charged her with defrauding the public over $5,000 and two counts of possession of property obtained by crime.

Lindsay is scheduled to appear in court on July 31 to answer the charges.

Police recommend visiting the Canadian Fraud Center to learn more about lottery scams and other trending scams affecting Canadians.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the fraud bureau at 905-453-3311, ext. 3335 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.