Wayne County lottery winner thought her $100,000 prize was a scam

One Wayne County woman thought she was getting a scam call when she picked up the phone in October. Instead, it was $100,000 waiting.

The Michigan Lottery said the exchange happened after the lottery player had bought tickets for the Diamond Riches Second Chance game where only one player wins the top prize of $100,000. 

The random drawing for the game happened on Oct. 19.

The woman, identified only as a 62-year-old, said she earned the entires for the giveaway from scanning non-winning tickets from the Diamond Riches game on the Michigan Lottery app.

"I got a call one afternoon and the caller ID showed it was from the state of Michigan which I thought was strange," said the player. "I assumed it was a scam call and I almost didn’t answer, but then decided to at the last minute. 

"When the woman said she was with the Michigan Lottery calling to inform me of my $100,000 prize, I didn’t believe it."

Then, while on the phone with the employee, she saw an email that had been sent to her earlier in the day, informing her of her prize. The first person she called was her daughter.

RELATED: Man ignores 'mysterious call,' later finds out it was Michigan Lottery telling him he won $100,000

The unnamed winner claimed her prize recently from the lottery headquarters. She plans to start a college fund for her granddaughter, pay some bills, and donate the rest. 

The tenth and final $300,000,000 Diamond Riches second chance drawing took place on Nov. 16. Each drawing awarded:

  • One winner of $100,000
  • Five winners of $10,000
  • Twenty winners of $1,000
  • Sixty winners of $500

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