L-Station - Chicago Transit Authority - CTA Blue Line, Polk & Paulina, Chicago, IL - rude service from lottery sales person

# 12 for October 30, 2003

Complaints.com received the following on October 29, 2003:

From:

RE: L-Station - Chicago Transit Authority - CTA Blue Line, Polk & Paulina, Chicago, IL - rude service from lottery sales person

I purchase lottery scratch off tickets inside of the L-Station (Blue Line) located on the corner of Polk and Paulina, Chicago, Illinois. Three to four times a week I purchase tickets there. The man who runs the little business there is very rude 80% of the time but I alway smile and get my purchase and leave. On several occasionals he has treated me rude and unfairly.

One instance was I won $25.00 off a ticket and try to cash it in. He refuse to give me the money because he said it was too much and he could not cash it and that he only give out money on tickets between the hour of 10 to 3 but he sells them all day long. I took the ticket to White Hen to get my winning.

On another occasion, I purchased a $8 dollar winning ticket from him and went back to redeem my ticket. He scanned my ticket and gave it back to me and stated to me that his "machine was down and I would have to try some other time", I took the Winning ticket to a Amco Service station on Harrison by the express way. The gentlemen scanned the ticket and tore it up instantly saying that the money was already redeemed off the ticket and thew it in the garbage can.

There was no way I could have redeemed the money off the ticket and still have the ticket. I went back to the L-station and told him about it. He threw his hands up in the air and said it's not his business with a bad attitude. On a few occasions he has tried to cheat me out of my money and even when I purchase a winning ticket. Last week I went to the L-Station to purchase tickets and he said "I own him a dollar" from several weeks ago. He said he gave me a dollar off a ticket that he had not scanned.

This man has never in my time of me purchasing a ticket from him given me anything unless he was sure that the ticket was a winner. I told him he must have honestly mistaken me for someone else and that he honestly did not give me a dollar for a ticket that I got from him. I told him to let me think about it before I just give him my dollar, because if I honestly believe that he have given me a ticket (which he had not), that I would let him know and give him the dollar. Today me and my girlfriend went to purchase a couple of tickets from the L-Station, and he asked me for the dollar again.

I tried to explain to him that I did not own him a dollar. The man when into a rage and got totally upset and said that he would not sell me any more tickets or anything from him. I do not believe that this man can keep a business of selling Lottery tickets and being fair and discriminating.

Every time I have went to purchase tickets he is always busy scratching off tickets for himself. As long as I purchase anything from him. He is ok, even when I have purchase cigaretts from him he would not give me matches unless I pay 5 cents for them. He is happy when he gets what he want but unhappy if you don't purchase from him. but wants to sell them but refuses to be fair to the public.

I have seen and heard him being rude to many people who purchase anything from him especially when it comes down to him paying, if if you don't spend enough money to his satisfaction. I feel that this business should be totally investigated and this man should not be allowed to sell lottery or anyting for that matter. I can be reached at (773) 776-ssss after 6:00 pm and all day weekend.

My e-mail at work is or at work between the hours of 8:30 to 4:45 Monday thru Friday. Your assistance in this matter will be greatly appreciated.