A Michigan Powerball winner is working to advocate for giving lottery winners the option to remain anonymous. Christy Davis’ identity was used without her consent when she won the $70 million Powerball jackpot, so she’s fighting to make sure the same doesn’t happen to others.
According to Michigan state law, individuals who win more than $10,000 in local and state lottery games can claim their winnings without revealing their name. However, they may not opt for anonymity if they are successful in multi-state games like Mega Millions, Powerball and Lucky for Life.
“We tried to see a lawyer to see if I could [claim] Anonymously, and they said no,” Davis shared with The Lottery Post. “That was my big thing — I didn’t want to go on TV. i know many [who’ve] Had to go through a lot in life, and it was either there or there was no money.”
Davis, a resident of Waterford, Michigan, discovered that her identity was being used in local Facebook groups without her consent.
“I’ve looked inside [the] There is a post in the ‘Waterford Matters’ Facebook group: ‘This is Christy Davis, and I’m giving blah blah blah blah… send me this information on this phone number.’ comment on [the post] Like, ‘They wiped out my bank account.’ Why would you give anyone your bank account information?” she said. “And then there are my friends [replying]’That’s not it,’ saying I’m not on social media, and I changed my name.’
Davis argues that this is a prime example of why lottery winners should not be forced to reveal their names. Keeping the identities of big prize winners anonymous not only protects the winners, but also protects others who may become targets of fraudsters using fraudulent messages to exploit vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly.
He argued, “The lottery people need to know that when they put your name out there, this is what happens.” “The lottery even emailed me, ‘Oh, we heard you’re cheating people here.’ I said, ‘You know, this is what happens when you reveal people’s names.’
Davis believes that winning the lottery can have unintended consequences, such as leaving the old house, changing name or phone number, and changing lifestyle.
“They should definitely pass legislation that allows [lottery winners] remain anonymous because [the Lottery doesn’t] Realize what they do to people,” Davis shared.[Winning the lottery] Is life changing already. Many people move away, but some people do not move away. I did not do it. Maybe that’s why I felt the way I did the whole time. Because of what comes next, it’s too good to be real.”
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Davis’s 2020 lottery win
Davis won $70 million in Powerball by matching all the numbers and the Powerball. He opted for a lump sum payment of about $36 million after taxes.
She purchased her tickets at the Huron Plaza Liquor Store on West Huron Street in Pontiac.
After purchasing a lottery ticket, a friend told him that the winning Powerball ticket was purchased at the same location where he purchased it. She was at her workplace when she took her ticket out to check and couldn’t believe what she saw.
“My friend Erica is next to me and she says, ‘No.’” Davis recalled. “I screamed throughout the store, and everyone came running. It was literally like three seconds of excitement, and then it was like, this was too good to be true. It still hasn’t sunk into my head that this is real. “
Source: www.usatoday.com
