The Better Business Bureau warns that a new scam is fraudulently using its name in order to steal tens of thousands of dollars from victims led to believe they’ve won a lottery. So far, one victim has lost $80,000 to scammers posing as BBB employees.
Several individuals have reported to the BBB that they were contacted over the phone or via e-mail by someone claiming they were with the Better Business Bureau. They were told they had won a lottery and that, in order to receive the prize, they must first wire money back to the scammers. In some cases, the scammers used the names of real BBB employees — directing victims to legitimate bios and profiles on the BBB’s Web site — in order to bolster their ruse.
The BBB does not run a lottery nor award prizes to consumers. Anyone who receives a call, letter or e-mail about winning a lottery should consult the following checklist to avoid falling victim to a scam:
Make sure the story checks out. Always confirm the facts directly with the organization the representative claims to be from, whether it’s the BBB or another organization. Use contact information that you find on your own from the organization’s Web site; don’t rely on phone numbers or Web links provided by the representative. Scammers often pretend to be from legitimate businesses or nonprofits and a quick call directly to the organization can set the record straight.
Never pay money to get money. Lottery scammers make their money by convincing victims they have to pay money upfront to cover taxes or fees in order to receive their winnings. Because it is extremely difficult for the victim to track or retrieve money sent via wire transfer, scammers often use this as their payment method of choice.
Don’t fall for the phony check. Scammers often send a check in the mail to the victim with instructions to deposit the check and wire back a portion of the funds to cover fees or taxes. This gives the victim a false sense of security because the check will initially clear, but eventually be discovered as a fake. The money is then taken out of the victim’s account and he or she is out the funds sent to the scammer.
If you’ve been contacted by someone posing as a Better Business Bureau employee, contact your BBB at
wynco.bbb.org and report the incident.
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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, 128 BBBs across the United States and Canada rate more than 3 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 reported nearly 1 million instances of service to consumers and businesses in 2009. 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.
Barbara Read, VP Communications Director, 970-488-2035, bread@wynco.bbb.org