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Posted: Monday, May 31,2021 | Time: 06:54 am | Edited by: The Lottery Lab Staff
Who wouldn't want to win thousands or millions of dollars? Or how about the chance to go on a luxury vacation?
Unfortunately, this dream can turn into a nightmare, if you are tricked into believing that you have won a surprise jackpot. It is essential to recognize the warning signs of scams so that you are not lured in by a potential prize.
The initial contact for most jackpot scams is usually a direct email, telephone call, or social media notification claiming that you have won big jackpot money.
These notifications will always come with some form of a catch. You may be asked to pay a fee, taxes, or customs duties to claim your prize. The scammers may request your bank account information, or simply urge you to send money via a wire transfer.
It is vital to recognize and avoid such scams. The first and most effective way to do this is by asking "How could I have won this prize?"
The consequences of falling for lottery scams can be severe. With bad luck and uncontrolled excitement, you could lose money, be harassed by con men, and even be added to the lists of easy targets. All of this can make you much more susceptible to being scammed.
Here are some of the important points to watch for, when you receive a notification claiming, “Congratulations, You Have Won A Jackpot!”
The only lottery jackpots you can win are the ones you have actually entered. If you receive a notification from a lottery that you don't even remember playing, it's a red flag. It is possible you entered the game and then completely forgot about it. But before responding to such messages, take some time to do some independent research. Contact the state’s official lottery and check your winnings. However, avoid using the number given in that suspicious notification. Instead, confirm your prize independently.
Does the notification ask you to pay money before you can receive a prize? If yes, you are certainly on the verge of getting scammed. Legal lottery organizations never ask you to pay fees to receive a prize. No multi-state or state lottery deducts any kind of fees when you win. Even the taxes you are liable to pay after winning a lottery are withheld from the prize rather than paid upfront.
If you receive the notification by email, it is important to check the email address that sent the notification. If it is from a free email, like Yahoo or Gmail, consider this a warning sign. Checking these small details will help you avoid the pitfalls of such phishing emails.
Does the "you have won the lottery!" notification pressure you to respond immediately? Is there a threat that you may lose the chance to claim your prize if you don’t “act now”? If this is so, you certainly want to be wary of a trap. Lottery scammers want you to act rashly so that they have their check in hand before you block the accounts or come across an article like this and realize you are being defrauded.
These dubious emails may demand your personal information as some form of “verification”. This information may be your bank account number or credit card details. Such requests are a clear sign of a lottery scam. Like, who asks you for this kind of stuff? You need to think and not get overwhelmed in such situations. Legitimate lottery operators just require proof that you have matched all the numbers on the ticket. Asking for personal information or bank account details is a red flag you should not miss!
Just as asking for inappropriate information is a warning signal that you may be dealing with a lottery scammer, warning you not to tell anyone should set off alarm bells. When you do win a legitimate jackpot, it is advisable to keep the number of people who know about your good luck to a minimum. But lottery con-artists warn you not to tell anyone because they don’t want anyone to spoil their trick with a bit of common sense. If you think you have won an unexpected windfall, share the news with a trusted advisor to protect yourself.
Finally, if you realize that you have shared an important piece of personal information with the wrong person, it’s time to contact your bank or financial institution immediately. Whenever you encounter such an email or warning sign, the first thing you need to do is think wisely and repeatedly question yourself, did you actually play this game? If yes, then you may cross-check with the lottery, and if not recognize it as a lottery scam or maybe simple spam!
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