As they attempt to stay below the radar of the law, lottery scammers from the western end of the island are seeking refuge in other parishes, THE STAR has found.

Mounting pressure from the Anti-Lottery Scam Unit has left some scammers pondering their fate as free men, and are now trying desperately to find 'hideaway spots' in areas far from home, with as much secrecy as possible.

Some are even offering as much as $50,000 per month to whoever is willing to put them up in their homes, sources say.

Parishes such as St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester have become temporary homes for these scammers who wish to continue their involvement in the lottery scam, but admit to being cautious of the police and their efforts to nab them.

move or get caught

"A so it go eno, is like checkers. Dem a mek move suh we affi a mek move to, or get caught," said Money T, a 23-year-old Montego Bay, St James, resident, who admitted to being a player in the lottery scam for the past three years.

The young man and father of two children said he has been forced to leave a house he bought two years ago, to seek a home in Clarendon, away from his friends and family.

According to him, witnessing the arrest of several men from Montego Bay, who were alleged to be scammers, made him think about moving elsewhere, or at least for a while.

"A scammer money gimmi my house eno, suh before mi mek dem find mi and tek it weh a betta mi tek weh miself until di pressure ease up," he explained before adding, "Nobody from MoBay nuh kno exactly where mi deh now. Dem know a Clarendon mi deh but dem nuh sure is where. Mi have some linky suh a inna fi dem place mi deh a chill wid one a dem. All mi do is gi dem a likkle ting when month end come, a jus like mi a pay rent."

Blacka Max, another individual who also admitted to being a scammer, said he too decided to leave a home he owns in an attempt to evade police attention after people in his circle got arrested for being involved in the lotto scam.

"Mi have a house a MoBay, but Spanish Town mi deh a pay rent ya now but a so it go ... Di police dem affa wi like crazy suh wi affi a constantly move suh wi can keep dem guessing eno," he said.

Despite moving to another area, both men confessed to still being involved in the lotto scam, and say keeping their business out the face of everybody may do them well.

Meanwhile, when contacted yesterday, Superintendent Leon Clunis, head of the Anti-Lottery Scam Unit said he was unable to comment.

However, police sources from the parishes where the scammers are seeking refuge say they have heard about the men and their 'secret' moves.

"This is something I have heard for real. There is a special unit that deals with these scammers, so if that's really the case it will be just a matter of time until they are found," a corporal at the May Pen Police Station said.

Names changed