Lottery tickets are bearer documents

Reply #16

Stack47 — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 17:50:15 GMT

With all the stories about clerks cheating players, one of them probably did try to cash a ticket signed by someone else. We're applying bearer instrument to large jackpots that may require more scrutiny, but lots of tickets under $5000 are cashed every day. Some winners purchased the ticket, won and signed the back and in some cases a judge decided who is the lawful winner. There are court cases involving discarded tickets too.

The bearer of the ticket is not always the lawful owner and some... [ More ]

Reply #15

NightStalker — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 15:09:25 GMT

I believe that one person does have to sign the ticket. Then talk to the tax attorney to decide how to split the money evenly.

I would say that if a single person lost a ticket that was worth $1000 or more, they would be able to contact the lottery commission and tell them where and when they purchased the ticket. That might help if someone else claimed it.

However, if the person lost the ticket doesn't know its worth anything because it's a QP, well, that's just tough luck.... [ More ]

Reply #14

billionaire2bee — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 11:25:17 GMT

I thought everyone who signed it got a cut of the money an equal cut, that why in my original post I asked if the finder signed their name but was not the original purchaser wouldnt they also get a cut if they did or even did not find the original purchaser

Reply #13

billionaire2bee — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 11:23:12 GMT

Yeah I thought everyone had to sign the ticket who had claim to it...you can scrunch up and sign 100 names to it cause no way Im lettingjust one person's signature represent me and I can sign my own name

Reply #12

noise-gate — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 05:33:32 GMT

Which brings up the question: In a lottery pool, whose signature goes in the so called Single Line should they win

Reply #11

onlymoney — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 05:07:42 GMT

I believe there's only space for one signature. Any attempt in augmenting the signature to look like theirs would be a very foolish thing to do, especially when he/she has to be there in person to redeem the ticket.

Any suspicion by the clerk could get them into trouble. The person would be a total idiot to self incriminate themselves like that. They also have to show identification, so If it was me, I'd put an ad on Craigslist and hope someone would see it and hopefully find it in their hear... [ More ]

Reply #10

noise-gate — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:55:54 GMT

Fascinating..

How many signatures can go on the back of the ticket? What if the finder Keeper added his/her's to the Original signature- does that make the ticket null void

Reply #9

onlymoney — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:51:26 GMT

I'm no lawyer, but I think most of this stuff is common sense, except for some rare exceptions.

If the original owner already signed it, then of course it's illegal for the finder to redeem the ticket, since he/she has to sign the ticket to redeem it if it's worth over 599.

I believe the OP is talking about a ticket that isn't signed.

Reply #8

onlymoney — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:47:05 GMT

We'd have to see the specifics of each of those cases. It could be like the case where a woman I saw in a store surveillance video a few months ago on Youtube, who was standing behind a guy on line and the guy dropped a wad of cash. He didn't know he dropped it, and the lady grabbed the cash off the floor and took off. I forget the amount but it was about 1,200 or so. The lady was eventually identified and arrested.

There may be gray areas that I'm not aware of. If you see the person drop it... [ More ]

Reply #7

noise-gate — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:44:18 GMT

What if the ticket was already signed by the original owner - who somehow lost it at say a picnic in a park? If the new ticket bearer were to attempt to cash it- do they end up in jail after legitimately finding it?

Another Question: Does the Lottery Commission stress that should a lost ticket be found- that the person in possession of this lost ticket- now RETURN ticket to the lottery Commission

Reply #6

Stack47 — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:36:19 GMT

If the claims form requires the bearer to declare under the penalty of perjury that no other person is entitled to any part of payment, I'm wondering if the bearer can legally and truthfully declare it when they didn't purchase the ticket. If the lottery does try to hunt down the actual purchaser, it is because the lottery believes someone else may be entitled to all of the payment.

Any real lawyers members of LP

Reply #5

noise-gate — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:32:17 GMT

Which raises another question Stack- do the courts hear cases where the original owner had signed the back of the ticket and then lost it? In which case does the finder have any legal grounds in retaining the ticket? Would the court rule that the original owner somehow reward the finder keeper or does the FK get absolutely nothing.

Does the FK somehow get labeled a Thief

Reply #4

Stack47 — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 04:21:45 GMT

It's a really interesting debate because courts made rulings on whom was the legal owner. I'm not saying it's one way or the other, but if finders keepers is the law, why do courts even hear the cases

Reply #3

onlymoney — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 18:50:18 GMT

Bearer instrument means just that. If you lose it, whoever finds it can legally cash it in after signing it whether there was a camera shot of the original purchaser or not.

If that was not the case, the officials wouldn't bother writing that on the ticket.

Reply #2

cash4ninja — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 18:12:40 GMT

I turn in scratch offs for second chance prizes

Reply #1

Greg2117 — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 18:00:14 GMT

Good question. I'm not sure, but according to the lotto officials, you are responsible for keeping your ticket(s) safe and sigining it. If you say you found the ticket, which I personally wouldn't do, and the only way to prove who bought the ticket is to go over security cameras from the store. Plus it would be difficult to find the acutall person who bought the ticket unless they come forward. And they might not even know they bought the winning ticket since they lost it. So you will probaly en... [ More ]

Lottery tickets are bearer documents

billionaire2bee — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 17:40:19 GMT

So when you win and you have to go to the headquarters to cash it in meaning it was over $600...If you did not purchase the ticket but you say found it and signed your name to it, does it mean they will hunt down the actual purchaser of the ticket, and if in fact they do that and find the actual purchaser will they then have to split it with you since you signed your name to it? Or is it all moot and they just pay you the winnings since you signed and turned it in...which is what I think, but do... [ More ]