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Information for Better Decisions
Protecting Your Financial Resources
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Telephone and Mail Scams
International Lottery Scams
Scam operators are using the telephone and
direct mail to entice U.S. consumers to buy chances in high-stakes
foreign lotteries from as far away as Australia and Europe. These
lottery solicitations violate U.S. law, which prohibits the cross-border
sale or purchase of lottery tickets by phone or mail. The scammers
use victims' bank or credit union account numbers to make unauthorized
withdrawals, or their credit card numbers to run up fraudulent charges.
Keep in mind:
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If you play a foreign
lottery - through the mail or over the telephone - you are
violating federal law.
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There are no secret
systems for winning foreign lotteries. Your chances of winning
more than the cost of your tickets are slim to none.
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If you purchase one
foreign lottery ticket, expect many more bogus offers for
lottery or investment "opportunities." Your name
will be placed on "sucker lists" that fraudulent
telemarketers buy and sell.
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Keep your credit
card and bank or credit union account numbers to yourself.
Scam artists often ask for them during an unsolicited sales
pitch.
Your best bet is to ignore all
mail and phone solicitations for foreign lottery promotions. If
you receive what looks like lottery material from a foreign country,
give it to your local postmaster.
To report telemarketing fraud of any kind, contact your state Attorney
General.
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