Preview: RI lottery scams revealed

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Rhode Islanders spend a whopping $82 million a year on scratch tickets. But if you're not careful, your winnings could get scratched.

There are so many games, and so many ways to win, that some ticket buyers are unsure. So, they depend on the honesty of clerks to scan their tickets and tell them if they've won. But state police have now checked more than 100 retailers and uncovered some dishonesty.

"As we learned through our undercover officers, if you're not paying attention, you will have individuals all the time that see an easy opportunity to make money. And they will defraud a person of their winnings," said Captain David Neill, Rhode Island State Police.

We went out to learn how the potential scammers can steal your winnings without you even knowing it. And to learn how state police and the lottery are teaming up to make sure winners are really winners.

"We really listen to the citizens and what they have to say. And we document it every time we have a complaint. And we investigate it every time we have a complaint. So we're very, very proactive in that approach," said Gerry Aubin, Director, head of the Rhode Island Lottery.

The lottery is confident that the vast majority of cashiers out there are honest, but obviously they want 100 percent compliance. We'll show you what to look out for, tonight on Fox Providence at 10 p.m. and on Eyewitness News at 11 p.m.