You are a winner! Or so scam artists want you to believe. Consumers across the U.S. and Canada frequently contact the Better Business Bureau to inquire about the legitimacy of mail and e-mail announcing they’ve won substantial sums of money in a sweepstakes or lottery.
To help consumers identify a lottery scam, the BBB provides the following:
- How was the lottery notification delivered? If you receive notification by regular mail or e-mail, there is a good chance it is fraudulent. Legitimate lotteries usually send winning notices by certified mail, Federal Express, UPS or DHL. On the other hand, if you play the lottery online, you may be notified by e-mail. However, you still must log into your account to check your winnings and choose whether you want to be paid by check or by a credit to your credit card.
- Does the notification appear to come from another country? U.S. citizens should know that it is illegal to participate in a foreign lottery by using U.S. mail services.
- Were you sent a check or money order with the notification? Fraudulent promoters sometimes send a check or money order along with notification to convince you they are real. While the checks and money orders may look official, they are counterfeit.
- Are you asked to wire transfer money or mail a personal check to cover some type of fee or taxes? Fraudulent promoters ask you to deposit the check or money order and then instruct you to wire money or send a personal check back to them to cover what may seem like legitimate fees, such as processing, administrative, handling or tax fees. They also may instruct you to call a number to claim your winnings. If you deposit a bogus check or money order in your bank account, you will be held responsible for any money you spend or send to anyone else.
- Does the lottery promoter’s name and address on the check match the name and address on the envelope? In many instances it does not. The company name is usually different on the check, the bank name on the check is phony and the account number stolen – making the check a counterfeit. Sponsors of legitimate lotteries and sweepstakes identify themselves prominently on checks and envelopes.
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About the BBB
The Better Business Bureau, founded in 1912, is a champion for ethics and trust in the marketplace. Only businesses that meet the high BBB standards are invited to become BBB Accredited Businesses. Today, 123 BBBs across the United States and Canada rate more than 4 million local and national businesses and charities with scores ranging from A+ to F. Only a BBB Accredited Business may elect to participate in BBBOnLine, one of the most trusted and recognized Internet seal programs in the world.
The BBB serving northern Colorado and Wyoming topped 1.1 million instances of service to consumers and businesses in the last 12 months. These services include reliability reports on local companies and charities, access to companies that can be trusted by industry, help with dispute resolution, and trustworthy information on consumer and business topics.
Luanne Kadlub, BBB media relations manager, 970-488-2044 lkadlub@wynco.bbb.org