United States
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April 21, 2008
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Quote: Originally posted by Lotto*Love on Aug 4, 2008
True, but hopefully if I ever win...it will be in the summer time.
if not.......
I think the school could understand having the kiddies on the downlow for a week .....IN FLIPPIN PARADISE! haha.
I would be very scared if I won and the whole town found out and just handed my kids a sack lunch and said "have a good day honey." lol
I know me too. I also would not take my kids with me to claim my prize. There is a picture of a winner on the Fla Lotto website holding her baby. No way in H E double hockey sticks would I do that.
Washington *state* United States
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June 14, 2008
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Quote: Originally posted by GamerMom on Aug 4, 2008
I know me too. I also would not take my kids with me to claim my prize. There is a picture of a winner on the Fla Lotto website holding her baby. No way in H E double hockey sticks would I do that.
I know I was wondering about the whole kids thing if you won. I think I'm just very paranoid, but to be on the tv or newspapers with my kids.......some lunatic out there would be like ahhhh! Kidnapping score! Heck, I'd fear for my animals too lol. Did you ever see the article about some guy who used a sharpie marker to apply a fake mustache? He also wore sunglasses, a hat, and alot of baggy clothes for his conference. Can't recall where he was from. haha. We can all go in disguise!
You can run, but you can't hide mighty Jackpot...surrender to me at once!
Raleigh United States
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January 17, 2007
172 Posts
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I would by a vacation just for myself.
Nothing too fancy, just a trip to some distant island for a few weeks, where I can sit and think about how I want to invest and spend my money, without any pressure from other people.
United States
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June 16, 2006
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'Vacation Holiday' doesn't make a lot of sense because we would be on 'Vacation' for the rest of our lives.
I can tell you the first thing I would do is sign my ticket, second would be disconnect all phones and buy those 'disposable' cell phones you can buy at the Mi-T-Mart, third thing is rewrite my Will, fourth thing is open multiple accounts at several DIFFERENT Banks and Investment houses.
United States
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June 16, 2006
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Quote: Originally posted by Uff Da! on Aug 3, 2008
If I were required by the state to appear for a news conference, the first thing I'd do AFTER the conference would be to get a facelift and other cosmetic surgery. Then no one would recognize me from the picture they'd have posted of me on the state lottery website. With a fairly common name like mine plus cosmetic surgery, all I'd need do would be to move to a larger city and I should be able to easily disappear from the public eye.
You don't need cosmetic surgery, you DO need the ability to not draw attention to yourself, and also the ability to say NO.
You are not a sports superstar, nor a rock star, few will recall your face, aside from those that live close to you, so don't worry about it. Wear a hat and different glasses, drive a Ford not a Ferrari when running errands or shopping, and you will be fine, Trust Me.
MI United States
Member #54,828
August 31, 2007
985 Posts
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As I've said many times before, my main goal of anonymity is keeping my name out of the news, specifically the lottery press release. It isn't like even a 15 years ago where it would may be in the paper due to the press release and after a few weeks everyone (at least everyone but people who might try to find you and rob you) would pretty much just forget you. Today though with how much the internet and search engines have progressed in the last decade, once your name is out there and in that press release to be copied by a thousand news papers, there's no real chance to go back. Once your name is out there as a lottery winner, especially of a big one, it's going to be out there forever for anyone to look up, including everyone you meet, especially whatever new people you meet. Even if you live like a hermit in a shack. Sure, if there's no picture or you wear a disguise that might help in persuading that it's not you since the person in the picture doesn't match you, though that won't work too well if the person knows where you're from and if you have a name that's not something common.
I'd have nice things since I wouldn't live as if I'm in the poor house but I'd also try to have at least a somewhat believable cover story. No one would know exactly what I have or how much I'm worth. I have no intention in going nuts in a attention getting style..
Of course that could change if I were to actually win.
Wandering Aimlessly United States
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November 5, 2005
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I disagree with you DC81. I mean, who remembers the names of most lottery winners? The only people who will recognize your name will be those who already know you. Most people really don't care. Except for the people on boards like this, very few people even heard of Jack Whittaker, and he's been in the news many times. I think if you hit the largest PB or MM jackpot ever won, there might be a lot more publicity, but millions of dollars just doesn't mean the same as it used to. Just go to the lists of the richest people in the world and they have billions, not millions. I wouldn't know most of these people if I fell over them.
Just another note on keeping a low profile. At first I agreed with Guesser, since keeping a low profile & not flaunting your wealth is always a good idea. However, around the corner from me (I'm talking about just a few homes from my dumpy rental) a gigantic 3 or 4 level house was just completed. I understand the entire 2nd floor is an indoor swimming pool & spa, but I can't say for sure. All around here there are small, older homes, lots of duplexes, some mobile homes and apartments. Then you'll see a new 7,000 s.f. house with 4 garages go up next door. When I take a walk around the block, nobody walking their dogs has a clue who these people are. I'm sure they have their own circle of friends.
United States
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June 16, 2006
1,969 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by DC81 on Aug 6, 2008
As I've said many times before, my main goal of anonymity is keeping my name out of the news, specifically the lottery press release. It isn't like even a 15 years ago where it would may be in the paper due to the press release and after a few weeks everyone (at least everyone but people who might try to find you and rob you) would pretty much just forget you. Today though with how much the internet and search engines have progressed in the last decade, once your name is out there and in that press release to be copied by a thousand news papers, there's no real chance to go back. Once your name is out there as a lottery winner, especially of a big one, it's going to be out there forever for anyone to look up, including everyone you meet, especially whatever new people you meet. Even if you live like a hermit in a shack. Sure, if there's no picture or you wear a disguise that might help in persuading that it's not you since the person in the picture doesn't match you, though that won't work too well if the person knows where you're from and if you have a name that's not something common.
I'd have nice things since I wouldn't live as if I'm in the poor house but I'd also try to have at least a somewhat believable cover story. No one would know exactly what I have or how much I'm worth. I have no intention in going nuts in a attention getting style..
Of course that could change if I were to actually win.
As is common knowledge here, I know two Powerball jackpot winners - each from a different state, and about 12 years apart between wins.
Neither of them have ANY problems with being bugged by anyway EXCEPT FOR getting more junk mail from 'charities' wanting money. Nobody is knocking at their doors, calling them, or chasing them through the stores begging.
I have stayed in contact with both, I have introduced some of my friends to them - we golf - but I don't tell them they are meeting a multi-millionaire beforehand: they have no clue. I may tell them afterwards, and it doesn't bother them, they don't really care one way or the other.
Changing identities, plastic surgery, cover stories: anything like that is just a bad idea, you WILL 'get caught', you will say or do something that is out-of-place, and someone may very well call the police. Why ? Because they may think you are hiding something: you have all these nice neat things, but don't work, you stay in hiding: you must be hiding from the authorities, or you are a drug dealer.
Just be yourself, don't publicize what you are all about, but don't hide it, folks will find out anyway, guaranteed. Don't let your paranoia ruin what should be the best times of your life.
Washington State United States
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February 26, 2006
349 Posts
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guesser said:
. . . and someone may very well call the police. Why ? Because they may think you are hiding something: you have all these nice neat things, but don't work . . .
I have yet to hear of anyone getting suspicious of people not working when they are of retirement age, regardless of how many nice things they may have. Many retired business and professional people have "nice things" and travel. It is typically assumed that they have made good investments.
Dump Water Florida United States
Member #380
June 5, 2002
3,567 Posts
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Businesses that are interested in targeting a certain clientel subscribe to a clipping service that finds the information they are looking for and sends it to them. Used to be they sent actual clipping from the newspapers, now it's electronic. Anyway, there are all sorts of companies who want to know who just got rich and will "need" everything from a swimming pool to a fancy tomb stone. Charities are always interested as are con artists. You can be sure lottery winners are included on the sucker list.
In the same sense, never let them publish a funeral notice, when you get home from the funeral your house was robbed. Often carpet cleaners scope out the houses worth robbing for their crooked friends, nice plasma TV you got there. BobP
MI United States
Member #54,828
August 31, 2007
985 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Aug 6, 2008
I disagree with you DC81. I mean, who remembers the names of most lottery winners? The only people who will recognize your name will be those who already know you. Most people really don't care. Except for the people on boards like this, very few people even heard of Jack Whittaker, and he's been in the news many times. I think if you hit the largest PB or MM jackpot ever won, there might be a lot more publicity, but millions of dollars just doesn't mean the same as it used to. Just go to the lists of the richest people in the world and they have billions, not millions. I wouldn't know most of these people if I fell over them.
Just another note on keeping a low profile. At first I agreed with Guesser, since keeping a low profile & not flaunting your wealth is always a good idea. However, around the corner from me (I'm talking about just a few homes from my dumpy rental) a gigantic 3 or 4 level house was just completed. I understand the entire 2nd floor is an indoor swimming pool & spa, but I can't say for sure. All around here there are small, older homes, lots of duplexes, some mobile homes and apartments. Then you'll see a new 7,000 s.f. house with 4 garages go up next door. When I take a walk around the block, nobody walking their dogs has a clue who these people are. I'm sure they have their own circle of friends.
I think you are underestimating the number of people who will put the names of others, mainly new faces that they meet or people whom move into their neighborhood into google just to see what they find. Millions or millions and millions, there will be people out there who view lottery winners as undeserving and a stigma that goes with it. As for people on the "richest people in the world" list, sure you might not recognize them but that doesn't mean that they're not endlessly bothered, though they usually have people to take care of such things and it doesn't reach them. But again, those people are viewed much differently when it comes to the general perception of them and lottery winners.
If you've never done it before, put your own name into a search engine like Google and see what comes up, if you have a common name then there's less of an issue since there will probably be plenty of matches that have nothing to do with you. If I have a choice, I just prefer to just not have my name out there, period.
MI United States
Member #54,828
August 31, 2007
985 Posts
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Quote: Originally posted by guesser on Aug 6, 2008
As is common knowledge here, I know two Powerball jackpot winners - each from a different state, and about 12 years apart between wins.
Neither of them have ANY problems with being bugged by anyway EXCEPT FOR getting more junk mail from 'charities' wanting money. Nobody is knocking at their doors, calling them, or chasing them through the stores begging.
I have stayed in contact with both, I have introduced some of my friends to them - we golf - but I don't tell them they are meeting a multi-millionaire beforehand: they have no clue. I may tell them afterwards, and it doesn't bother them, they don't really care one way or the other.
Changing identities, plastic surgery, cover stories: anything like that is just a bad idea, you WILL 'get caught', you will say or do something that is out-of-place, and someone may very well call the police. Why ? Because they may think you are hiding something: you have all these nice neat things, but don't work, you stay in hiding: you must be hiding from the authorities, or you are a drug dealer.
Just be yourself, don't publicize what you are all about, but don't hide it, folks will find out anyway, guaranteed. Don't let your paranoia ruin what should be the best times of your life.
When did they win? Was it in the last 5-10 years? Well, ten years might be stretching it, I've never bothered to see how far back stories and press releases actually go. Ever looked up their name in a search engine? Are their names common? Obviously if it was a long time ago their names wouldn't have been put in the online press releases or news stories though unless they were huge wins no one cares that much. Your examples are extremes that have nothing to really do with what I said, obviously the average person isn't going to have a clue since most people barely even read a news paper let alone pay attention to the lottery. It's not as if I have something to hide, I don't. But I'd just prefer it this way.
My goal is simply to keep my name out of the press release and thus remain off the internet for anyone to find. A cover story doesn't have to be complex, with the lottery and my age it can be very simple, it could involve something I'm doing now or something I would be doing after winning, 99% of people you encounter wouldn't even need to know or bother asking, if they did it's likely none of their business anyway. I would rather be in more control of the information instead of it just being out there for everyone. It's not paranoia, if I was paranoid about it, I wouldn't play the lottery in the first place. There are a lot of times when thinking about it where I'd not bother just to get the money faster, but then again as I've said, I would still rather keep my name out of the press release and off the internet as much as possible and in the last ten years I've managed to do that and with my name there's absolutely nothing else so I'd be confused with someone else, it'd be pretty easy to find since it'd be the only thing out there, heh.
Obviously just claiming a lottery as part of a Trust doesn't completely hide your identity since Trusts are public record and people can, with a little more effort look up who is a part of the Trust but that's a lot more work than the average person will bother with.