I received a letter from a foreign country telling me I won millions of dollars in the lottery. How do I know if it’s real?
• Remember the old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” This definitely applies to foreign lottery scams. Crooks make up reasons for why you need to wire them money (i.e. taxes, special courier) or why you should give them your banking information. They plan to make a withdrawal, not a deposit. It is illegal to participate in a foreign lottery and the crime should be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspector Fraud Unit.
Remember, if it sounds too good, it probably is. This definitely applies to foreign lottery scams. Con artists make up reasons for why you need to wire them money, i.e., taxes, special courier, etc., or why you should give them your banking information. The criminal is certainly not planning on making a deposit, just a withdrawal of your savings. It is illegal to participate in a foreign lottery and if you did receive a letter, report this to the United States Postal Inspection Service Office.
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- I received a letter from a foreign country telling me I won millions of dollars in the lottery. How do I know if it’s real?
