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Imagine opening your mail to find you've won $2 million in a lottery you never entered - sounds too good to be true, right? Maryland residents beware: an international sweepstakes scam is making the rounds and could cost you thousands. In this scheme, victims receive official-looking letters from scammers posing as financial service companies, claiming they've won millions in an international lottery. The letter informs the recipient of their substantial winnings and outlines a process for claiming the prize.
The scam sends the consumer a check, typically around $4,500 to cover processing fees. Victims are instructed to deposit this check and then wire a portion (often more than half) back to the scammers for "processing fees." Victims are told to contact a specific individual to "activate" the check before depositing. However, the check is fraudulent and will eventually bounce, leaving the victim responsible for any funds withdrawn against it.
Here are tips to protect yourself from future lottery scams:
- Be highly suspicious of any unexpected winnings, especially from contests you don't recall entering
- Legitimate lotteries never require you to pay fees to claim winnings
- Never wire money or provide personal financial information to unknown parties
- Be wary of pressure to act quickly - scammers often use urgency to prevent critical thinking
- Don't engage with the senders or attempt to deposit any checks you receive
- Report suspicious letters to your local BBB, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service if received by mail
- Remember: if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is
- Always verify the legitimacy of any unexpected winnings through official channels before taking action
Have you been a survivor of a lottery or sweepstakes scam? Submit it to the BBB ScamTracker for assistance. For more information on combatting sweepstakes and lottery scams, visit BBB.org.
