'Too good to be true': Oregon Lottery warns against scams promising Powerball winnings

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Everyone wants a piece of the recently claimed $1.3 billion Powerball jackpot, but if your phone pings with a chance to take home a cut of your own, you’re better off ignoring it.

Cheng “Charlie” Saephan, a Laos-born immigrant who has been fighting cancer for the past eight years, bought the winning ticket from a Portland Plaid Pantry in early April. His identity was announced in a press conference later that month.

Since then, several Oregon residents have received a text message claiming Saephan would be donating his winnings to 10 random citizens.” Those who have received the text messages were told to call a phone number to claim their prize.

However, the Oregon Lottery said it will never ask a jackpot winner to pay a fee to access their winnings. If an offer asks for that information, it is just another phishing scam.

“Some common warning signs of phishing scams include receiving an unsolicited message with a sense of urgency or a request for personal information,” Assistant Director of Security Justin Hedlund said. “We expect there may be other scams out there trying to leverage the Powerball winner’s story, and it’s a red flag if something seems too good to be true.” 

It remains unclear how Saephan plans to spend his money. While claiming his billion-dollar lump sum, he said, “now I can bless my family and hire a good doctor for myself.”

The winning ticket — 22, 27, 44, 52, 69 and the red Powerball 9 — was sold at the Plaid Pantry at 6060 NE Columbia Boulevard.

Saephan immediately came forward to claim the prize, but the “process involves security measures and vetting that will take time before a winner can be announced.” The process to verify includes going through video surveillance and checking the person’s identification.

Lottery officials, along with Plaid Pantry President/CEO Jonathan Polonsky, shared that the state will receive $7.6 million once the prize is finalized.