Retirement Turns to Ruin After Fake Jamaican Lottery Scam Costs Elderly Florida Couple $141,000, Home and Car

STUART, Fla. — Merdine James thought retirement was finally within reach. Instead, the 74-year-old and her husband, Fritz James, 87, lost their home, car and more than $141,000 after fraudsters convinced them they had won a multimillion-dollar sweepstakes.

Originally from Jamaica, the couple said the claim seemed believable because they were told they had won the Jamaican lottery. The deception stretched from 2023 into early 2026 as the callers repeatedly demanded money for supposed taxes and fees tied to a nonexistent $4 million prize that also promised two cars and a truck.

Church volunteer Kirstin Mikalauskas eventually filed a police report after helping the couple seek assistance. As reported by Atlanta Black Star, the caller identified herself as "Susan Smith" and claimed to represent Publishers Clearing House, gradually building the couple's trust while persuading them to keep the payments secret.

Police records show the payments continued for years, leaving the Jameses with little money and forcing them from their $141,000 home in July 2025 with only about one year remaining on the mortgage. Bags filled with wire-transfer receipts and stacks of Amazon gift cards documented the scale of the financial losses.

Mikalauskas said the couple arrived at St. Mary's Episcopal Church seeking help to pay for a hotel after losing their residence. She later secured temporary housing, helped organize vital documents and contacted authorities after concluding the pair had been victimized by a prolonged financial scheme.

Fritz James, who is living with dementia, also lost handcrafted furniture that remained inside the family's belongings after the foreclosure. Merdine James has since searched through storage containers for insurance papers, family photographs and personal keepsakes while trying to rebuild their lives.

Federal consumer agencies continue warning that legitimate sweepstakes and lottery prizes never require winners to pay taxes, processing charges or other fees before collecting their winnings. Investigators encourage families to watch for warning signs such as repeated wire transfers, gift card purchases and demands for secrecy when older relatives report unexpected prize notifications.