Port Washington, Wisconsin police have cited a convenience store clerk for theft after he allegedly pocketed a customer's $250 in lottery winnings.
A Port Washington Police Department report gave this account:
Theresa Momper, 52, of Port Washington said she went to the Quik Stop Shoppe South, 1100 S. Spring St., April 21 and asked the clerk to verify that she had a winning lottery ticket worth $250. The clerk, Donald J. Malzewski, 20, allegedly scanned the ticket and told Momper that she was mistaken.
Later that same day, Momper returned to the store to double-check the ticket. This time, she learned the lottery machine showed the ticket was a winner but the money had already been claimed.
Police investigated, and Malzewski allegedly told an officer that he cashed in the winning ticket because he needed the money, according to the report. He was issued a municipal citation alleging theft.
Store manager Pam Born said Tuesday that she fired Malzewski, and the store gave Momper $250.
Momper declined to comment on the incident Tuesday. Malzewski could not be reached for comment.
This is really getting old. We as customers need to scan our own tickets to verify them and take them back if they are losers. For every thief who is caught, many get away. How many winners have been made into losers by greedy (needy) store clerks? Isn't it hard enough to win? I don't think these people are stupid and deserve to be robbed. I often take a pile of my mother's old tickets to be scanned. I just don't want to look up the numbers. Why can't I just scan them myself? Good luck everyone for the big powerball tonight.
California can scan their on tickets. Doesn't give the amount. Says congratulations see retailer. I have not tried this with the scratchers. But I would imagine it will probably tell you. I will look into this one.
In Virginia, players cannot scan their own tickets. However, Todd is right, there are sounds and messages to look for. Virginia's machines do the following:
For prizes $25 and less, the prize amount shows on the customer display (e.g. "You are a Winner! $5.00"). Players can also request a printed receipt.
For prizes from $26 to $600, the prize amount will not display, but a winner message will display (e.g. "You are a Winner! Ask for Receipt) and a customer receipt will also print automatically.
For prizes greater than $600, the prize amount will not display, but a claim message will display (e.g. "You are a Winner! File Claim With Lottery" and a customer receipt prints which directs the customer to file a claim with the lottery.
On all winning ticket inquiries a four-"doot" sound is heard. On all winning ticket cashes, the tune "You're in the Money" plays.
On all non-winning inquiries and cashes, a single "doot" error beep plays and the customer display reads "Sorry. Not A Winner".
NY's Quick Draw agents (scattered otherwise) have ticket checkers, which NEVER give the amount won. NY lottery terminals do NOT have a "player readout".
Connecticut terminals have a player readout, however.
I know a lottery retailer about 15 miles from my home. A small mom and pop store in York,Pa. who charges 50 cents a ticket to check them for winners! He has a big sign on display and why the Pa Lottery lets him get away with it is beyond me.
He has the winning numbers posted on a board and he claims he's sick and tired of people wasting his time checking tickets.
I'm surprised the local people don't complain to Harrisburg. The Pa Lottery should pull this guys license.
The Wisconsin Lottery has just started using new lottery terminals at retailers. They now have scanners at the counter so lottery players can check their own tickets. Very good idea. Haven't tried the scanners myself though.
I think it would be great if the various lotteries invested in self scanning machines. Ones that would allow individuals to scan the ticket themselves, verify a winning ticket, tell the amount won, then the individual could go to store clerk for payment. The winning ticket never leaves your hands until payment is made, and the time saved allows store clerks to continue to ring up customers and get them out on their way faster.
Quote:Originally posted by TREASURE on April 29, 2004
I think it would be great if the various lotteries invested in self scanning machines.
I agree, however, doing so holds no real benefits for the "bottom-line" oriented lotteries. New equipment means more money, more money spent on equipment means less for scholarships, schools, old people, sports stadiums, and the like (depending on the state). A more workable option would probably be to make the equipment available to retailers on a rental basis, so those stores who would see the benefit of shorter lines (e.g. 7-11, Circle K, Kum N Go, Mapco Express, etc.) could have them and those who wouldn't see any benefit (independent mom & pop stores, supermarkets, etc.) wouldn't have to have them. This way would also be revenue neutral for the lotteries, as the rental cost could be equal to what it cost the lottery for the equipment.
Quote:Originally posted by vincejr on April 29, 2004
I agree, however, doing so holds no real benefits for the "bottom-line" oriented lotteries. New equipment means more money, more money spent on equipment means less for scholarships, schools, old people, sports stadiums, and the like (depending on the state). A more workable option would probably be to make the equipment available to retailers on a rental basis, so those stores who would see the benefit of shorter lines (e.g. 7-11, Circle K, Kum N Go, Mapco Express, etc.) could have them and those who wouldn't see any benefit (independent mom & pop stores, supermarkets, etc.) wouldn't have to have them. This way would also be revenue neutral for the lotteries, as the rental cost could be equal to what it cost the lottery for the equipment.
I disagree. If lotteries offered a rental service for machines, then retailers would only rent machines when the jackpot was high, and nobody would have lottery machines at any other time.
In my opinion, this exemplifies what's wrong with this country today. My God, are you people so lazy that you can't even check your own tickets to see if you've won any money???
This is a non-issue. I haven't read one response here suggesting that players check their own tickets before they take them to the retailer to cash them in.
I'm certainly not condoning what the clerk did to this woman but, throughout history, the greatest fortunes in America were made by astute people taking advantage those who were more naive. The clerk should not have been given the opportunity to take advantage.
The winning numbers for all state lotteries are readily available free of charge; just ask your retailer for a report from the previous draw. You'll get what looks like a lottery ticket (printed on the same paper), which will contain all of the previous day's official winning numbers, which you won't get from any website. The lotteries do this because they don't want to invest in machines that do nothing but check people's tickets for them.
If you don't want to check your tickets, send them to me; I'll check them for you. I'll even let you know if any of them are winners. I'll keep the money, of course, but you won't have wasted any of your precious time or energy on such a bothersome, time-consuming task.
Ideally, everyone would be trustworthy, but we don't live in an ideal world; dishonest people cross our paths every day, socially and professionally. If you've ever been screwed over by a coworker or colleague for a promotion, bonus, pet project or whatever, you've experienced that moment when you shake your head and mumble, "I should have seen that coming, and now my butt hurts."
The old adage is true; you don't get something for nothing, but playing the lottery is probably as close as most of us will ever get. Given that, I'd like to add my own suggestion to this ridiculous thread:
Take some responsibility for what happens to you. If you play the lottery, put yourself to some trouble and check your own tickets. It doesn't cost anything, and the process is really not that difficult; I've been doing it all by myself for years. Just get an official report from your local retailer and look at the winning combination. Then, look your own ticket over, and compare what you have with the numbers on the report. If some of them agree, you've probably won some money. Then (stay with me here), look on the back of your bet slip to find out how much money you're entitled to. Now that you know your ticket's a winner, and how much you've won, you can go collect your money; that is, if it's not too much trouble.
Jim is right! Be responsible and check your own tickets prior to cashing them in. This incident reminds me of the escapade that we went through in the last Presidential election. I made sure after I voted that there were holes in my voting slip---duh! Look at the money we spent recounting votes because people were not responsible enough to check their slips. Don't you have to be old enough to vote---why? So that you capable of checking things like holes in the cards. Bottom line---if your not responsible you lose your vote! BE RESPONSIBLE!
I started with nothing and I will end with nothing!
This is really getting old. We as customers need to scan our own tickets to verify them and take them back if they are losers. For every thief who is caught, many get away. How many winners have been made into losers by greedy (needy) store clerks? Isn't it hard enough to win? I don't think these people are stupid and deserve to be robbed. I often take a pile of my mother's old tickets to be scanned. I just don't want to look up the numbers. Why can't I just scan them myself? Good luck everyone for the big powerball tonight.
Very good advice!
Chas
California can scan their on tickets. Doesn't give the amount. Says congratulations see retailer. I have not tried this with the scratchers. But I would imagine it will probably tell you. I will look into this one.
In Virginia, players cannot scan their own tickets. However, Todd is right, there are sounds and messages to look for. Virginia's machines do the following:
Hope that helps VA players!
NY's Quick Draw agents (scattered otherwise) have ticket checkers, which NEVER give the amount won. NY lottery terminals do NOT have a "player readout".
Connecticut terminals have a player readout, however.
I know a lottery retailer about 15 miles from my home. A small mom and pop store in York,Pa. who charges 50 cents a ticket to check them for winners! He has a big sign on display and why the Pa Lottery lets him get away with it is beyond me.
He has the winning numbers posted on a board and he claims he's sick and tired of people wasting his time checking tickets.
I'm surprised the local people don't complain to Harrisburg. The Pa Lottery should pull this guys license.
Chas
my old work had a policy of not checking tickets for players. the business's policy is reasonable, but not their surcharge is not.
In Delaware, the machine makes a cheering crowd noise when the ticket is a winner. It's too funny!
The Wisconsin Lottery has just started using new lottery terminals at retailers. They now have scanners at the counter so lottery players can check their own tickets. Very good idea. Haven't tried the scanners myself though.
I think it would be great if the various lotteries invested in self scanning machines. Ones that would allow individuals to scan the ticket themselves, verify a winning ticket, tell the amount won, then the individual could go to store clerk for payment. The winning ticket never leaves your hands until payment is made, and the time saved allows store clerks to continue to ring up customers and get them out on their way faster.
I agree, however, doing so holds no real benefits for the "bottom-line" oriented lotteries. New equipment means more money, more money spent on equipment means less for scholarships, schools, old people, sports stadiums, and the like (depending on the state). A more workable option would probably be to make the equipment available to retailers on a rental basis, so those stores who would see the benefit of shorter lines (e.g. 7-11, Circle K, Kum N Go, Mapco Express, etc.) could have them and those who wouldn't see any benefit (independent mom & pop stores, supermarkets, etc.) wouldn't have to have them. This way would also be revenue neutral for the lotteries, as the rental cost could be equal to what it cost the lottery for the equipment.
In my opinion, this exemplifies what's wrong with this country today. My God, are you people so lazy that you can't even check your own tickets to see if you've won any money???
This is a non-issue. I haven't read one response here suggesting that players check their own tickets before they take them to the retailer to cash them in.
I'm certainly not condoning what the clerk did to this woman but, throughout history, the greatest fortunes in America were made by astute people taking advantage those who were more naive. The clerk should not have been given the opportunity to take advantage.
The winning numbers for all state lotteries are readily available free of charge; just ask your retailer for a report from the previous draw. You'll get what looks like a lottery ticket (printed on the same paper), which will contain all of the previous day's official winning numbers, which you won't get from any website. The lotteries do this because they don't want to invest in machines that do nothing but check people's tickets for them.
If you don't want to check your tickets, send them to me; I'll check them for you. I'll even let you know if any of them are winners. I'll keep the money, of course, but you won't have wasted any of your precious time or energy on such a bothersome, time-consuming task.
Ideally, everyone would be trustworthy, but we don't live in an ideal world; dishonest people cross our paths every day, socially and professionally. If you've ever been screwed over by a coworker or colleague for a promotion, bonus, pet project or whatever, you've experienced that moment when you shake your head and mumble, "I should have seen that coming, and now my butt hurts."
The old adage is true; you don't get something for nothing, but playing the lottery is probably as close as most of us will ever get. Given that, I'd like to add my own suggestion to this ridiculous thread:
Take some responsibility for what happens to you. If you play the lottery, put yourself to some trouble and check your own tickets. It doesn't cost anything, and the process is really not that difficult; I've been doing it all by myself for years. Just get an official report from your local retailer and look at the winning combination. Then, look your own ticket over, and compare what you have with the numbers on the report. If some of them agree, you've probably won some money. Then (stay with me here), look on the back of your bet slip to find out how much money you're entitled to. Now that you know your ticket's a winner, and how much you've won, you can go collect your money; that is, if it's not too much trouble.
Jim is right! Be responsible and check your own tickets prior to cashing them in. This incident reminds me of the escapade that we went through in the last Presidential election. I made sure after I voted that there were holes in my voting slip---duh! Look at the money we spent recounting votes because people were not responsible enough to check their slips. Don't you have to be old enough to vote---why? So that you capable of checking things like holes in the cards. Bottom line---if your not responsible you lose your vote! BE RESPONSIBLE!
I started with nothing and I will end with nothing!
Jeff