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Fraud Insight
Congratulations, you’ve WON!!!! – Why that unexpected prize is too good to be true
It is probably the most common scam of all time.
You receive a random text message or e-mail which says you have won an iPad, luxury holiday or a cash prize from an international lottery.
For some, these scam messages are so common that our brains automatically filter them out – but for those who are not aware, these scams are a real danger that can leave your bank account drained and your hopes dashed.
But to identify whether you are being scammed or not is generally fairly easy – if you did not enter a competition for the so-called “prize” you have allegedly won, the offer is probably too good to be true and most likely a scam.
You should always stop, think and check before you act on any unexpected winnings.
Avoid clicking on links. If you do click on one of these links, you immediately know it is a scam if you are asked to pay a fee to collect your prize.
Legitimate lotteries and companies will never ask you to pay any money or provide your bank account and credit card details.
Many scammers will also use the name of a reputable bank or company to make their scam look more legitimate – however reputable companies will generally never send you a link to collect your winnings or ask you to make any form of payment to collect your prize.
If you have not entered into a competition, winning an unexpected prize really is too good to be true.
Lottery scams and unexpected prizes are a common trick to prey on people’s hopes and cheat them out of their hard-earned money
Unexpected prizes and lottery scams
Let us take a look at some common unexpected prizes and lottery scams that you may come across:
Travel Prize Scams
Money Transfer Scams
One of those most common scams, you will receive a message that offers a share in a large sum of cash in exchange for helping an unknown person move money.
They will then ask you to pay a fee upfront before the money can be transferred.
Again, verify your source and never pay any fees upfront to avoid being stung by this one.
Lottery, Competition, and Prize Scams
These will involve unsolicited messages that claim you have won a prize in a lottery or competition you did not enter. The scammers will then request a fee or tax payment to claim your winnings.
Overall, to protect yourself from lottery scams and unexpected prizes, you should always pause and verify before taking any action on offers of free money.
Legitimate lotteries do not require fees to collect winnings, and certainly will not ask you to share personal, financial, or identity information.
To verify further, you should consult your bank, trusted friends, legal services, or family to confirm the legitimacy of an offer.
If you think you have been scammed, you should act quickly to prevent further losses and contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam and pause transactions.
You should change passwords for all online accounts and report the scam to relevant authorities to help prevent others from falling victim to the scam.-crimestoppersvic.com
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