Iowa Lottery investigation highlights difficult balance between security and profits

Comment #8

Stack47 — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 23:04:39 GMT

I've given up on expecting gas station/convenient store clerks to accurately run play slips, replay tickets, and/or cash winning tickets so I try to only play at places where I know the clerks are experienced and trustworthy. The occasional players are more likely to be cheated by the same clerks and stores I avoid, but other than the stings lottery security run, there isn't much they can do to prevent fraud.

Some people wrongly assume lottery play is a big part of a retailer's business and w... [ More ]

Comment #7

duckman — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 22:02:43 GMT

If the employee was stealing the store's tickets and if the retailer had proper accounting procedures in place, the retailer would have noticed the irregularities with the employee clerk a long time ago. Don't they do ticket counts and cash counts at the end of each shift and reconcile lottery purchase/sales reports

Comment #6

KY Floyd — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 08:26:24 GMT

It seems ironic that the lottery that was allegedly cheated by Tipton's manipulation of an RNG drawing claims that profit isn't a factor in their security decisions. Since they've publicly claimed that it's possible to do that the only rational conclusion when they don't switch to ball drawings is that they're willing to trade security for profit or they think that ball drawings are just as susceptible to manipulation. I think it's fairly easy to make an RNG much harder to tamper with, but I'm n... [ More ]

Comment #5

realtorjim — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 02:24:59 GMT

My sentiments on the retailer, but employees may be a different matter. As you stated, lejardin, I bet the retailers do not take care of their work force. As for the lack of follow up, sometimes it is not lack ...

Library of Congress

Comment #4

lejardin — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 01:03:13 GMT

That was not a very good report card. I think the comment that they don't want to stop the cheaters/lottery because they want the money it provides the state. As always follow the money. This lack of followup is what let Iowan Tipton steal millions with number manipulation almost right under their nose.

Music you got one right, never trust any retailer. As for rewarding them? Not in this life. Their reward was in selling the winning ticket. Let the retailer take care of their employee(s) if t... [ More ]

Comment #3

music* — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 22:14:38 GMT

Do not trust any retailer. They may have an ulterior motive when they are being polite and helpful. You can always reward them after you win.

Vote with your dollars.

Comment #2

eddessaknight — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 20:50:58 GMT

Well said Bleudog

ONE SHOULD ALWAYS PLAY FAIRLY WHEN ONE HAS THE WINNING CARDS

~Oscar Wilde

Stay Alert Stay Tuned

Eddessa_Knight with Fair Game Light

Comment #1

Bleudog101 — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 20:26:50 GMT

Goes to show if you are asleep @ the wheel such as the Iowa lottery, the mice will take advantage. In other words, when the cat is away, the mice will play.

Iowa Lottery investigation highlights difficult balance between security and profits

Lottery Post — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 18:48:28 GMT

For more than a year while he worked at the Brick Street Market in Bondurant, Iowa, Matthew Hinrichs quietly stole lottery tickets, cashing in at least $28,000 in illegitimate prize money, prosecutors say.

When he was finally caught in 2016, Hinrichs pleaded guilty to two felony counts of fraud and was ordered to pay back those winnings, plus nearly $5,000 more.

Lottery officials say their layers of security allowed them to track Hinrichs' activity, providing data that was invaluable to pr... [ More ]