Every single mega-jackpot winner ($500M+) has had their identity stolen by scammers. Fake Facebook profiles, phony foundations, romance scams - their names are weaponized to steal from thousands.
For every winner who commits a crime, there are 9 winners who become victims of exploitation.
How scammers weaponize winner names
Scammers create fake social media profiles using real lottery winners' names, photos, and stories. They contact victims promising "donations" of $50,000-$500,000, then demand "processing fees" that disappear forever.
Winners whose names were weaponized
"Patient Zero" of lottery identity scams
315+ BBB reports, $16,800 confirmed stolen
Individual victim documented: $550 stolen
Now advocates for anonymity laws
"The Lottery even emailed me like, 'Oh, we heard you're out here scamming people.' The Lottery people need to know when they expose your name, this is the stuff that happens."
Winners who personally lost money to fraudsters
Name used by West African scammers ("Yahoo Boys") in advance-fee fraud emails. Fake "donation" comments appear on obituary pages using his name. His real identity became a "trust signal" commodity for downstream criminal enterprises.
REAL VICTIM: Advisor John Priebe invested 99% in unsuitable variable annuities, allegedly cost foundation $20M. Priebe committed suicide Jan 2020. Foundation won $7.3M FINRA arbitration June 2024 - largest in MN history.
REAL VICTIM + FIGHTER: Fell victim to tech scam, then filed federal class-action Ramirez v. SupportBuddy (SDNY 7:17-cv-05781). Rose to Chappaqua PTA President, Consumer Avenger.
Those who challenged exploitation
$2.04B - Wrongly Accused
Jose Rivera sued claiming Castro stole his ticket. Case was DISMISSED with prejudice. Castro was the victim of a baseless lawsuit.
$396.9M - CPA Fighter
Filed federal lawsuit against Facebook to stop impersonators. Used her CPA skills to fight back professionally.
$650M - Privacy Pioneer
Won landmark lawsuit to remain anonymous. Pioneered legal protection for lottery winners.
$378M - Elder Exploitation
Exploited by her own son. Classic case of family financial abuse targeting elderly winners.
The anatomy of lottery winner identity theft
Larger jackpots = more media exposure = more scams
Why? $500M+ winners appear on national TV, trending on social media. Their faces become instantly recognizable, making "donation" claims more believable.
What the headlines get wrong
"Lottery Winners Turn to Crime"
Stories of winners committing drug crimes, DUI, or violence get disproportionate coverage.
"Winners Are Targeted, Not Targeting"
9x more winners are victimized than commit crimes.40% targeted vs 4% criminal.
The viral "70% go broke" myth is false - only 3% of winners experienced financial ruin. The media narrative of "winners turning to crime" is also overblown - only 4% have any criminal record.
But the identity theft epidemic is very real. For every winner who commits a crime, 9 become victims. Thousands of innocent people lose money to scammers using lottery winners' stolen identities. This is the true lottery curse.
Journalist? Get ready-to-use quotes and statistics for your coverage.
Sources: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network 2024, AARP Fraud Watch Network, Better Business Bureau, State Lottery Commission Warnings, Court Records.
Data: CazPoint Powerball Winners Study, 180 winners analyzed (1992-2024).