Sellers almost never ask lottery ticket buyers for identification (ID). Age, legal status in the country, knowledge of English – none of that matters. This is where the biggest legalized deception lies, about which lottery corporations keep quiet and officials try to ignore. The fact is that an illegal immigrant, in the case of a big win (that is, from $500 to $1,000 depending on the type of lottery and state laws), will not be able to collect it.
Illegal immigrant Hernan Blanco from North Carolina played the local lottery for six years. Every week he bought 2–3 tickets, secretly hoping to hit a multi-million dollar jackpot. And then one day, a 'modest' luck smiled on Blanco—he won $50,000. At the lottery company office, the lucky man was immediately asked who exactly owned the purchased ticket. When Blanco answered, they asked him to show a Social Security number, a valid state ID, and proof of legal presence in America to claim the prize. Naturally, the illegal immigrant had no such documents, and he was 'legally' denied the winnings.
The lottery company representative did not ask about the ticket owner for nothing. This was done to rule out possible attempts at fraud. If Blanco had been smarter, he could have asked a legal resident to claim the prize for him. Now that possibility is ruled out. 'I was deceived in the most brazen way,' Blanco says regretfully. 'It doesn't say on the ticket that I have to be a resident of the country. If the lottery is for the chosen few, then let them announce it at the point of sale.'
And indeed, why doesn't it say on lottery tickets that a win over a certain amount is paid out only if you have permanent resident status and the relevant documents? Isn't that, in turn, a violation of the law?
Illegal immigrant Alvaro Toledo from California knew perfectly well that he could not claim a half-million dollar prize in his own name. He asked his friend, a legal resident, to do it for a suitable reward. However, the lottery company, well aware of the large number of illegal immigrants among its customers, decided to conduct an additional check. As a result, the owner of the store where the ticket was sold was asked to provide a video recording showing Toledo purchasing the ill-fated ticket. No one doubted that it was indeed the winning ticket. Almost all American lotteries are computerized, so if desired, the exact place and time of sale can be easily determined.
The most interesting thing is that Toledo and his friend were not merely denied the prize payment. They were accused of fraud. It is possible that the lucky illegal immigrant will end up behind bars.
It is generally believed that the first lottery 'cheat' occurred in 1985. Then an illegal Mexican won $2 million at a Las Vegas casino. The joy of the potential millionaire lasted until the casino employees learned of his status in the country. Not wanting to part with the large sum, they called immigration officers, who sent the illegal immigrant home a few days later. So instead of the millions due, the Mexican got deported.
This case received wide publicity in the press. Human rights activists fiercely fought for equal rights with Americans for illegal immigrants to receive winnings, but achieved nothing. Twenty-two years have passed since then, and things remain the same.
In America, there are many localities where the number of illegal immigrants exceeds the number of legal residents. 'Every week I sell between $1,500 and $2,000 worth of lottery tickets,' says Sandra McKhie, owner of a small store in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'Only a handful of players are in the country legally. So far, the biggest win has been only $150, and we pay out amounts up to $600 on the spot without asking for ID. If someone wins more, there will be serious problems with claiming it.'
Last year in Atlantic City, I personally witnessed a Russian tourist who was legally in the country being denied payment of $7,300. Events unfolded rapidly. The girl pulled the lever of a one-armed bandit. A few seconds later, a winning combination flashed on the screen and loud applause rang out in the hall. Within a minute, two casino employees approached the winner – one with a tray on which cash was neatly laid out, the other with tax declaration forms. After looking at her foreign passport with a tourist visa, they asked the girl two questions: when she was leaving America and whether she had a Social Security number. Learning that the winner had no Social Security, one of the workers politely said: 'Sorry, but according to casino rules, we cannot give you the winnings.' That was it!
In American advertising publications, ads like this are often found: 'I will help you get your lottery winnings without any problems.' Enterprising Americans offer their services to illegal immigrants for 10–20% of the winning amount. Of course, no one can give any guarantee that they will not deceive the real owner of the lottery ticket.
By the way, scammers have already taken advantage of the ban on illegal immigrants receiving winnings. The Internet, particularly popular online auctions, is full of ads like: 'I won $10,000 but cannot collect the money due to lack of status. Ready to sell the ticket to anyone for $5,000.' The tempting offer is accompanied by a photo of the winning ticket. Lovers of easy money often fall for the scammers' bait. After paying, they receive a hastily made fake by mail.
It is worth noting that lottery companies in some states pay out winnings to illegal immigrants without any questions. 'We are not at all interested in the winner's status,' says Louise Christ, a spokeswoman for the Texas lottery. 'It is enough to present an ID, and the person can collect the amount due. Whether he pays taxes or not – the company does not care. If the law allows playing, it should also allow winning.' Unfortunately, in most other states, illegal immigrants are required to confirm their status.
In conclusion, it remains to be said that approximately 300 million lottery tickets are sold daily in the United States – at the rate of one ticket per resident. According to human rights activists, about 5% to 10% of them are purchased by illegal immigrants. This category of players, along with American retirees, is the most avid. However, if a citizen (permanent resident) has even a tiny chance of hitting the jackpot, illegal immigrants have nothing to hope for. Absurdly, for them, a $100 win, which can be easily collected on the spot, is much more pleasant than bureaucratic hundreds of millions.