Arkansas lottery retailers to be policed for fraud, officials say

Comment #7

SpanaUnlimited — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:33:39 GMT

Perhaps you are right. It would be time consuming and I don't think retailers would be very happy spending so much time for a customer buying a #1 ticket.

But without doing something proactive....it is very diffiucult to detect fraud. Pretty much the only way a criminal could get caught is if a undercover agent tests the retailer to see if they confirm the correct winnings.

Right now all they have to do is find a winning ticket and if the ticket is unsigned.....it can be redeemed by anyone... [ More ]

Comment #6

wizeguy — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:15:12 GMT

Bad idea! I try to stay in as few databases as possible. It would also slow down lines considerably. And what about a friend asking you to buy a ticket for them while you were getting yours? If he had a winner I could say it was my ticket and have proof of purchase.

Comment #5

SpanaUnlimited — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:45:09 GMT

How about getting contact info from the lottery players at the time of purchase.

Right now lottery players don't have to show ID and don't have to sign anything unless they are actually claiming a prize.

By having the contact info on the system beforehand.....should someone actually have a winning ticket.....the lottery officials can verify that the ticket wasn't stolen or otained via fraudulent purposes

Comment #4

Littleoldlady — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:20:09 GMT

If they (the retailers) are so darn Lucky , let them play at someone else's store. I don't think they should be allowed to play at their own store. Then they can come back and do another check on how lucky the retailers are. I bet they won't be so Lucky .

Comment #3

konane — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:03:34 GMT

Scratchers especially. Anyone playing the lottery needs to be proactive checking their own tickets for themselves. Think you might have a winner for any numbers game, then ask for a payout for that specific day, check it yourself .... then sign the back of the ticket before presenting it to any clerk.

Comment #2

MaddMike51 — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:32:27 GMT

While the majority of retailers are most likely honest,some have been proven guilty of fraud and some have been proven guilty of theft.Should retailers be allowed to play the lottery?Yes,but not at stores that they own or work at.Its to easy to cheat customers out of their winnings if you have larceny in your heart.

Comment #1

ricky p — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:25:30 GMT

I think that all retailers have a right to win lottery prizes as any lotto player do. There could not be any possible fraud. If they spend their money to nbuy the ticket, they should have a chance of winning as well. Of the retailer have the chance to buy the very first ticket, but it wouldn't make a difference. Lottery are a game of luck. Just because someone is being lucky doesn't mean that they are doing something wrong. The retaoillers are just lucky.

Arkansas lottery retailers to be policed for fraud, officials say

Lottery Post — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:32:36 GMT

The legislation laying the groundwork for Arkansas' lottery does not require it, but officials say they expect the lottery system to include a security division that will be on the lookout for fraud by retailers.

The problem of fraud by lottery retailers gained new attention in the U.S. in the wake of a 2007 scandal in Canada, where investigators found that retailers and their employees were winning a disproportionately large number of prizes.

Between 1999 and 2006, at least 78 retail owne... [ More ]