No, you didn't win a foreign lottery jackpot
Anyone can fall for a scam, but the bad guys tend to target senior with contest or lottery scams. It starts with a letter, email or phone call that says something like:
"Congratulations, you have just won a ton of money," and they can send it to you as soon as you send them some money. Don't do it.
"You shouldn't send the money because you didn't win," says Dave Schroader with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
"They are con artists. Their only interest is in trying to relieve you of some of your money and line their pockets."
Remember these two simple rules and you'll never get burned:
If there are any taxes involved, that's between you and the IRS.
And, Schroader says, "It is illegal to play a foreign lottery."
If you did take part, you could be charged with a federal crime.
For more information
US Postal Inspection Service videos: Foreign Lottery Scams
Fraud.org: Prize and Sweepstakes Scams
FTC: Money Wiring Scams
FTC: Prize Offers
"Congratulations, you have just won a ton of money," and they can send it to you as soon as you send them some money. Don't do it.
"You shouldn't send the money because you didn't win," says Dave Schroader with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
"They are con artists. Their only interest is in trying to relieve you of some of your money and line their pockets."
Remember these two simple rules and you'll never get burned:
- You can't win a contest you didn't enter.
- If the contest is legit, you won't be asked to pay anything to claim your prize.
If there are any taxes involved, that's between you and the IRS.
And, Schroader says, "It is illegal to play a foreign lottery."
If you did take part, you could be charged with a federal crime.
For more information
US Postal Inspection Service videos: Foreign Lottery Scams
Fraud.org: Prize and Sweepstakes Scams
FTC: Money Wiring Scams
FTC: Prize Offers
I've won like 150 foreign lottery's myself.  Why anyone would think they've won a lottery they never payed to play is beyond me. Â
I gotten couple of this scam via email, claim to be either in Nigeria or Côte D'Ivoire. I just block their messages. (I wish I could get my paws on some of that New Zealand currency for my collection)
A lot of these scams are based in Quebec by organized crime there and target the elderly in this country.Â
If you're dumb enough to fall for this, you deserve to lose your money.
You mean I didn't really win that 15 million DONG jackpot... Dammit!
I like how it says it's against federal law to play a foreign lottery. Â So if I'm on vacation in Europe and decide to play, technically I'm breaking the law? Â Or are they trying to say you can't play a foreign lottery while in this country?Â
@XabuJr: Â If you are visiting a foreign country you can, of course, play any of their games of chance. Â What you can't do is gamble in a foreign game while in the US. Â And don't even think about using the US Mail. Â By the way. Â If you win it would be a VERY GOOD IDEA to "take another vacation" to collect your winnings. Â As always check with an attorney to make sure you do everything legally.
Yeah, don't fall for those lottery scams. Â However, I was contacted by an attorney via e-mail that said some prince died in Nigeria. Â He left me $80 million in his will. Â It sounds legit to me.
@path_tech Dammit...they said I was the only in no way affiliated child!
@path_tech you too? lol