Scams
Lottery scams are usually designed to trick innocent people into thinking they have won the jackpot, but that they have to pay insurance or tax to receive the prize. These lottery scams are carefully put together by criminals and players should become aware of the various methods that are used by scammers to ensure they do not become a victim of fraud. It is always best to be vigilant, and there are always a few key factors to remember if you suspect someone may be trying to scam you.
Do You Think You’ve Been Contacted by a Scammer?
Did you participate in the game? - This is the first golden rule to identifying a scam. If you have not entered Eurojackpot, it is not possible to win a prize. When did you buy a ticket? Was it for the same draw you have been contacted about? How did they contact you? Did you provide that information when you purchased your ticket? If you did not play and are contacted to say that you have won a prize, it must be a scam.
Did your numbers match the winning numbers? - You can only win Eurojackpot prizes if you purchased a ticket for the draw in question and matched the numbers required to win in one of the prize tiers. Is the person contacting you providing you with a copy of your ticket showing a win? How did they get a copy of your ticket? How do you know the ticket is genuine? If you don’t match any numbers, for example, but are then contacted to say that you have won the jackpot or a similarly large prize, then you are being targeted by a scammer.
You will not have to pay a fee to claim any prize or pay tax due on the win in order to receive it. This is a common technique from scammers, who will ask for some sort of clearance charge before you can receive your winnings. Any such mention of paying a fee should alert you to the fact that you are being scammed.
It may be that the scammers use a name including famous brands in an effort to sound more trustworthy, but actually their company or the lottery they claim to represent are not legitimate. Always look closely at any correspondence you receive and check if needed whether organisations exist. Spelling and grammatical errors can also be indicators of a scam, but even well-written and professional-looking letters can be fraudulent.
What to do if you have been targeted by scammers
If you are contacted to say that you have won a Eurojackpot prize or competition which you have not entered, you should not send any money or provide any personal or financial details. You should not open any link contained in a suspicious email and it is best not to respond at all to any dubious email or letter.
If you have already responded, immediately cease any further communication. If you have disclosed personal or financial information, tell your bank straight away. If you are targeted by scammers, then report them to a law enforcement agency in your country.
Types of Eurojackpot Scams
Phone Scams
Scammers can contact you with a phone call to tell you that you have won a large Eurojackpot prize and may sound knowledgeable and professional. They will try and find out financial and personal details about you, such as your name, address, date of birth and bank card numbers, perhaps claiming they need them as proof of identity so that the lottery prize can be paid directly into your account. Remember these scammers might not ask for all of this information during the first call. They may be trying to build up a rapport or provide this information to another person who could then sound more knowledgeable when they call you, setting you up to trust them and hand over information.
Postal Scams
Postal lottery scams are designed by criminals to contact large numbers of people all at the same time. By sending out letters that are designed to appear as authentic and official as possible the scammers’ aim is to tell people they have won prizes and get people to send back their personal details in order to claim their prize. These letters can use official logos and may be worded cleverly to trick victims into thinking that they have won a prize, possibly even including a claim form which needs to be completed for processing.
Email Scams
In the email, you will be told that your email address has been randomly selected to win a prize and given specific information on how to claim your winnings. The email will provide a telephone number, postal address or another email address that you must contact in order to receive your winnings. In reality, when you get in touch, you will be asked to pay a ‘fee’ or ‘taxes’ on the prize in order to make a claim.
Mobile Scams
Text messages are sent out to inform people that they have won a lottery prize, inviting the recipient to contact a number to start the claims process in an effort to ultimately get access to their personal or financial details. The message will have stated that their mobile number was entered into a prize draw and was selected at random as the winner.
Social Media Scams
This type of scam uses social networking sites, such as Facebook, to reach you through a direct message. You might be told that you have won a lottery or competition run by a website, but that you must provide your financial or personal details before claiming a prize.
Example Scams
Visit the Example Eurojackpot Scam page to find an example of the sort of scam letter that may be sent out by fraudsters.
