Everyone loves winning money, which unfortunately makes lottery scams frequent go-to’s for scammers. Let’s take a look at lottery scams and how to avoid falling victim.
How the scams play out
In a typical lottery scam, the victim is notified they’ve won a lottery. They may be contacted by mail, phone, text or by social media. The allegedly won prize can be a pile of cash to the tune of millions, a tropical vacation or even expensive electronic devices.
Here’s where things get tricky. To claim the prize, the victim is told they must pay a “processing fee,” but the money can only be wired to a bank account or furnished via prepaid debit card. If the victim pays the fee, the scammer will continue collecting these fees and stalling over the delivery of the prize.
In other variations of the scam, the target is asked to call a phone number or click on a link to claim the prize. They’ll then be instructed to provide personal information, such as their Social Security number or checking account info. Unfortunately, this information will make the victim vulnerable to identity theft.
Red flags
To avoid falling prey to a lottery scam, look out for these red flags:
- You are notified you’ve won a lottery you’ve never entered.
- The lottery you’ve allegedly won was drawn overseas.
- The email, text message or social media alert informing you of your win is riddled with grammar mistakes and typos.
- You can't verify the legitimacy of the account notifying you of your win - such as with a social media account with very few or fake followers, or an unrelated email address like johnsmith@gmail.com.
- You are warned to keep your “win” confidential.
- You’re asked to pay a fee to collect your winnings.
- You’re asked to share confidential information over the phone or online to claim your prize.
- You’re instructed to call a specific number or click on a link in order to verify your prize.
If you’ve been targeted
If you believe you’ve been targeted and/or victimized by a lottery scam, take quick action to protect yourself from further harm. Contact the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov to let them know about it. If you’ve already shared information and/or money, contact your local law enforcement agencies for assistance and visit the FTC’s page on identity theft to start the recovery process.
Play it safe!
Your Turn: Have you been targeted by a lottery scam? Tell us about it in the comments.
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