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In spite of last week's arrest, beware scams
By Susan Jacobson
Sentinel Staff Writer

August 14, 2005

KISSIMMEE -- Police are warning residents that if they receive an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Last month, a Kissimmee doctor fell for what's known as a "pigeon-drop" scam, in which a stranger claims to have a winning lottery ticket that he needs help cashing.

The con artists work in pairs or teams, and the victim is asked to put up money as a show of good faith.

In last month's case, two men approached a physician in the parking lot of his office near Florida Hospital Kissimmee, police said.

One, whom police identified as Luis Ortiz, 52, of Altamonte Springs, translated the other stranger's Spanish into English. A second man, who has not been identified, claimed he had the winning ticket but he wasn't a U.S. citizen and needed help to cash it.

The men asked the doctor to give them $30,000 for a share in the winnings, police said. He gave the money to the men, who fled, authorities said. The ticket was worthless.

In another incident last November, Ortiz and an unidentified accomplice approached a man from Ohio who often travels to Kissimmee on business, police said. They used the same story to persuade the victim to give Ortiz $6,600 for another lottery ticket that turned out to be worthless, authorities said.

Ortiz was arrested last week in Seminole County on charges related to the Kissimmee incidents, police said. He faces charges of grand theft and unlawful assignment or transfer of right to claim lottery prize.

Police also warn of the so-called "bank-examiner" scheme, in which con artists pose as FBI agents, bank examiners or police officers. They contact victims pretending to need help in an investigation. The victim is asked to withdraw money on the promise that it will be returned at the end of the "investigation." Of course, the victim never sees the money again.

Police advise people to walk away from a situation that seems odd or uncomfortable, trust only people they know and talk to their banker or a law-enforcement officer before withdrawing a lot of money at someone else's suggestion. No bank or government agency uses customers to conduct internal investigations, police said.