Pass this info along to Bill...
http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Te ... ottery-scam.htm

Heather, Sorry to hear about the situation with Bill.  I suggest you involve your local police department, as they may have a community officer that may be able to sit down and explain this all-too common scam.  You may also want to show Bill this website, and run a search from the Site Menu...click on Area Codes, and click on 876.  This area code is from Jamaica, and you will see that a number of people either know about the scam, or have been victims of this scam.  Let Bill know, that there is no such thing as a pre-payment or advance payment to recover winnings from a legitimate lottery, like a State run lottery.  Also, be sure to question Bill, as to how does one win a lottery that he never heard of or entered.  I applaud your efforts in assisting with your friend's situation, however, if he is going through denial due to the substantial "loss" he has incurred, he may not be ready to hear that he has been scammed.  Run a Google Search on Jamaican Lottery Scams, or goto www.scam.com.  You will find a wealth of information on others that have been scammed, as well as references to Federal, State, and Municipal agencies that may be of assistance to you.  Also, be sure to inform Bill, that he will be incurring very hefty fees for calling the 876 number...I know this from having had to deal with these scammers for several years now.  876 is not a toll free number, and you will be very suprised at the cost to call these numbers.  All the best, and my heart goes out to the lil' boy who will go without this Xmas.  I'm sure friends like you will make sure that is not the case.

I was not the one contacted, but the man my best friend lives with has already wired over $3000 to this man calling himself Keith (phoney name I'm sure) who has told Bill (the gentleman being scammed) that the check is in the mail, yet calls almost every day for more money. At this point Bill hs spent every dime he has, didn't pay rent, any bills at all this month and has even started taking money from his moms checking account (who is in a hospice!) as recently as yeterday. EVERYONE this man knows has told him that it's a scam and he gets all huffy and puffy saying we just don't have any faith. He truly thinks he's getting a check with all of the money he's sent plus interest. We have no idea how to get through to him, and have gone so far as having the FBI call him to tell him not to send any more money because it's a scam and he doesn't even believe them. There is a 7 year old boy who lives there who will not be getting anything for Christmas because every dime this man had is gone now! How do we get through to this man....and how do we prove what we already know?