Tips to Avoiding Lottery Scams

By  //  October 9, 2021

You are the KCB WhatsApp Winner 2021Your number has been added to the grand  KCB Lucky Draw 2021! These are among the prettiest messages lottery players desire to hear. Although the messages make hearts leap with joy, they can bring about a hell of an experience – the worst ever experience.

This happens when you receive such messages from scammers and fail to realize that you are being scammed before the real action. To prevent such instances, we have listed some of the most effective tips for avoiding lottery scams. Read through to the end for insights.

Tips to Avoiding Lottery Scams-

  1. Check Red flags:

Scam messages and calls come with lots of red flags. However, it can be challenging to spot them if you are not keen, and therefore, you be easily tricked into a fraud. When it comes to money, you have to be highly cautious. Look for any suspicious vibes before responding to any winning message. Here are some of the red flags to check out;

■ You won a lottery you did not participate in – When it comes to gambling, you have to opt-in and participate to win. Therefore, ensure to ignore any message or a call informing you that you are a winner of a lottery you never participated in.

■ Prompt actions required – Usually, scammers will ask you to perform a particular action instantly or as soon as possible to claim your “prize.” Although most lotteries will require you to complete some activities, they give you sufficient time to do your due diligence, unlike scammers who want you to act immediately.

■ You are asked to pay to claim a prize – Legit lotteries do not ask you to pay any fee to release your prize. Therefore, be sure to disregard messages asking you to pay to claim your rewards.

■ Look for a personal touch – When signing up for a lottery, usually, you present personal details – your official names and other details. Therefore, the correspondence should address you personally as the sender already knows you. As such, if the text or the conversation lacks personal touch, it is most likely you are being scammed.

These and others like lack of unprofessionalism are some of the obvious red flags. Ensure to avoid engaging with messages containing them.

2. Do not hand over your personal information:

Usually, legitimate lotteries notify you about your winnings and send the prizes directly to your bank or payout method of your choice. They may also give you the pickup points if the prize is not in monetary form. Usually, they offer verifiable information. That is, they do not ask you to send any additional information other than the details you present during registration. Additionally, legit lotteries use official channels to contact you or announce their winners – verifiable channels.  

On the other hand, scammers ask for personal information such as your bank account details. They use anonymous contacts and usually promise to deliver your prize to you after providing personal details. In such a case, do not provide your details, including personal addresses, unless you are certain.

3. Do not send money to claim your prize:

Like in any other form of gambling, you pay everything you are supposed to pay during your participation in lottery games. Therefore, legit lotto does not ask for an additional fee on winning. Thus, you should not send any money to claim your prizes.

4. Do not follow links to claim your prizes:

Internet fraudsters mostly send messages with links and instructions and ask you to follow them to claim your gifts. This is also a red flag that you should check and avoid instantly. Usually, messages from legit lotteries are straightforward. Essentially, all rules, instructions, and regulations are usually public and included in the site’s terms and conditions section. 

Conclusion:

For years, internet fraud has been among the global trending topics. Millions, if not billions of people, have lost their hard-earned money to cybercriminals over the years.

Although online lottery and gambling are real and legit, and lotto organizers contact their winners through different mediums, differentiating a text, from a scammer, from a real deal message can be a challenge. That is, you may fall prey to scammers easily, especially if you are a lottery enthusiast. However, adhering to the discussed pointers will help you avoid scams.