Faced with the stunning realisation that her ageing parents had been conned out of their US$300,000 (approximately J$26.7 million) life savings by Jamaican lottery-scam artists, a South Florida nurse is now in shock and distress.

"They really conned my mom," said the nurse, whose 84-year-old father and 73-year-old mother live in the state of Illinois.

"I found out about it in the second week of March, but it had been going on since the end of December 2008."

According to the nurse, in just over one year since her parents fell prey to the Jamaican scammers - who used the trademark ruse that they had won a Jamaican lottery and needed to pay a processing fee - the savings they had accumulated have all but disappeared.

"When I found out, I filed a complaint with the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations) in Illinois and Attorney General's Office to help me get back the money that was sent through Western Union and MoneyGram," said the nurse, who has been unsuccessful in her bid to get the money returned.

Jamaican law enforcement has confirmed the case, but asked that the nurse's identity not be revealed as it is an ongoing investigation.

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