Struggling single mum targeted by scammers pretending to be lottery winners

02 April 2024 , 11:55

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Dympna McKenn (Image: Dympna McKenna/SWNS)

Cruel scammers have targeted the debt-ridden single mum of a disabled young girl - by posing as millionaire lottery winners offering a helping hand.

Dympna McKenna, 47, believed she was chatting to Richard and Debbie Nuttall - who scooped £61million on the EuroMillions in January - over Facebook. She "bared her soul" and revealed she was desperate to find some help for her and her daughter Dakota, 10, and the £7,000 debt she is in.

She cried when the scammers offered her cash but later realised it was a lie and decided to play along. Now she wants to warn others who might not be aware it's a scam. Dympna, who is a full-time carer for her autistic daughter, said: "I bared my soul - that's why I'm mad. They are sat behind a computer."

"How can a person go from being an innocent baby to a monster? It's disgusting." Dympna, from Birmingham, has desperately trying to get out of debt for the last few years. She thought her prayers had been answered when a friend of a friend told her they'd been speaking with lottery winners Richard and Debbie, both 54, and said they might be able to help.

Dympna believed she was chatting to Richard and Debbie Nuttall [pictured], who scooped £61million in January (SWNS)

She said of her situation: "She has sleepless nights with anxiety. I'm always on her bed holding her hand. I can't work." Dympna decided to reach out via Facebook to who she thought was Richard. She explained her situation and was amazed when she was offered cash. But soon she started to realise all wasn't as it seemed when they started to ask her for identifying information.

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Dympna said: "For new lottery winners, why were they investing so much time into messaging me? You'd be spending your money." Although Dympna didn't fall for the scam she is worried others have. She said: "I feel sick for them. They could be losing thousands of pounds. I'm angry that these people are doing this."

Lottery operator Allwyn said they contacted Meta and the account has been removed. A spokesman said: "We are aware that there are individuals and organisations that attempt to obtain payment or personal details from people under a variety of pretexts. The National Lottery, winners of The National Lottery and other lotteries are sometimes falsely used as part of these scams. We would urge people to remember that, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

"The National Lottery website provides security advice in respect of lottery 'scams': As always, if any individual believes they are a victim of crime, they should contact their local police." Meta has also been contacted for comment.

Rom Preston-Ellis