Lottery scamming is a type of fraud perpetrated by criminal networks who target unsuspecting victims with false promises of winning large cash prizes in the form of lottery draws To perpetrate this scam, scammers typically dupe victims into paying taxes, fees, and other costs related to the assumed “lottery win” in order to receive the supposed prize. Unfortunately, the prize never arrives, leaving victims out of pocket for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
One of the most recent lottery scams occurred in North Carolina in 2020, where victims were contacted via email and told that they had won a large cash prize from a North Carolina State Lottery. Unbeknownst to the victims, however, the email was a scam sent from an overseas crime syndicate. Victims were subsequently directed to make payments towards the supposed lottery prize in order to receive it, though of course, no such prize would ever arrive.
In April 2020, counterfeit checks were also sent to victims in the United States, enticing individuals to deposit the check and await a supposed lottery win. In reality, the check was fraudulent, and victims who cashed the check ended up out of pocket for the amount of the check plus processing fees.
Another lottery scam occurred in May 2020, this time targeting victims in the United Kingdom. The scammers posed as legitimate lottery operators and requested payments to cover various costs associated with the supposed lottery win. Additionally, victims were asked to provide personal banking information in order to receive their supposed winnings, but once again, the winnings never arrived.
Unfortunately, lottery scammers also target vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. In June 2020, scammers sent letters to elderly victims in the United States informing them that they had won a large cash prize as part of a lottery draw. Victims were then asked to pay taxes, fees, and other costs associated with the assumed prize, though of course, no such prize existed.
Finally, in July 2020, scammers in the United States again posed as lottery operators, this time sending victims false checks. Victims were then instructed to pay taxes and fees in order to access the supposed winnings, though of course, the winnings never materialized.
Lottery scamming is an unfortunately all-too-common phenomenon. By being aware of the types of lottery scams in existence and understanding how they work, it is possible to avoid becoming a victim of these crimes.