The Power Ball has brought out the scammers again. Be aware! I’m sharing my press release that came directly from the Better Business Bureau in Richmond.
Richmond, VA – BBB Issues Warning:
Powerball Scams on the Way!
BBB is alerting consumers that scammers will be taking advantage of this Powerball record-breaking lottery jackpot to trick people into thinking they are winners!
The big Powerball winners will be announced on television and online, but BBB expects to see scammers reaching out to consumers via telephone, mail, and email to “congratulate” secondary winners of smaller prizes. Lottery scams were among the Top Ten Scams of 2015 as reported to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker).
Typically, scammers ask consumers to pay “insurance”, “taxes”, or other fees upfront before they can claim their “winnings”. Of course, once they make the payment (or several payments), the big prize never materializes and the scammers are nowhere to be found.
Here are BBB’s tips to avoid lottery scams:
- Don’t pay up to claim your prize. You should never have to pay money or buy products in order to receive a prize. Be especially wary of requests to send money via wire, prepaid debit card, gift card or other unusual forms of payment.
- You can’t win a contest you didn’t enter. You need to buy a ticket or complete an application to participate in a contest or lottery. Be very careful if you’ve been selected as a winner for a contest you never entered.
- Verify — but not by using a source the scammers give you. Check if an offer is real, but don’t call the phone number in the email or website you suspect may be a scam. If it is a con, chances are the person on the other line will be involved, too.
- Check with BBB: Learn more about lottery scams and other cons at bbb.org/scam. Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker).
Lastly, if you turn out to be the lucky winner, exercise prudence. “There are a lot of different aspects to consider regarding taxes on the prize and how to claim the prize,” stated Tom Gallagher, President & CEO of the BBB serving Central Virginia stated. “The best advice is speak with a financial advisor.”
