How to spot lottery scams! Scambusters

People lose millions every year in these scams - please put the word out.

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It's remarkable that after all the publicity this crime has
received -- we've featured it at least 20 times in Scambusters
issues and the media are full of reports of lottery fraud
victims every week -- people continue to be duped.

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you never have to pay to collect your
winnings, whereas asking for money upfront is the key
component of a lottery scam.

In fact, that simple rule applies to all legitimate lotteries
and prize draws. Pin it on your wall and you'll never get
caught out.

(If tax is due on your prize, it's usually deducted from your
winnings before they're handed over. If not, you pay after
you've collected, not out of your own pocket.)

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It's pretty unbelievable that anyone would fall for any of these. I know what lottery I have or have not entered, and know of no legitimate lottery that involves randomly selected email addresses!

Publisher's Clearing House used to do this - you didn't need to enter anything to be "chosen".

The big tip-off is being asked to pay to get your prize.

The article also states that older people fall for this, and will not listen to the other members of their family that tell them it's a con job. Sad. :(

Any Publisher's Clearing House mail I ever got (since childhood) said you had to do something - mail something back in - in order to be entered into the sweepstakes.

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Originally Posted by Karen

Any Publisher's Clearing House mail I ever got (since childhood) said you had to do something - mail something back in - in order to be entered into the sweepstakes.

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That is correct. My mom is into PCH big time. She used to always mail in the required document. Now she just has to go online each day to enter.

It is sad that the elderly are taken advantage of with things like this. :( We had it happen in one of our associations at work. It was a mess because the scammer ended up taking the title of the house away from the man. It finally got straightened out (after several years and even after the man passed away, his daughter was still fighting).

In the olden days of PCH, it was a question of how they got your address in the first place if you'd never entered before. Mailing lists.

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Originally Posted by Catty1

Publisher's Clearing House used to do this - you didn't need to enter anything to be "chosen".

The big tip-off is being asked to pay to get your prize.

The article also states that older people fall for this, and will not listen to the other members of their family that tell them it's a con job. Sad. :(

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Oh please! :rolleyes: People of ALL ages fall for these scams, simply because they are either greedy or desperate. I get tired of reading about how the elderly are victimized. What about all the others that you never hear about?? Just because I am a senior, doesn't mean that I have suddenly lost my mind or my ability to recognize when someone is trying to scam me. Give the "elderly" a break please. We old timers could teach you younger ones a thing or two.

Sorry, Pom! There are many that fall for this con - the article was saying that the older people that fall for it often have family that try to stop them but they don't believe it. I suppose the inference is that people in a lower age bracket are more computer savvy (generally speaking) and either avoid the scams or are more tuned in to warnings about them.

People of any age can be gullible.

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Originally Posted by Catty1

Sorry, Pom! There are many that fall for this con - the article was saying that the older people that fall for it often have family that try to stop them but they don't believe it. I suppose the inference is that people in a lower age bracket are more computer savvy (generally speaking) and either avoid the scams or are more tuned in to warnings about them.

People of any age can be gullible.

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No problem. I just got up on the wrong side of the bed today, and other issues keep piling up too. Besides that - I refuse to consider myself "elderly" until/if I make it to my 80th birthday! Until then, I am just a senior citizen!

You're right Pom, my mom lived to 90 and if there was ever anyone who could spot a scam she was it. Not once did she ever fall for anything phony. I must take after her because so far nothing fazes me, too easy to spot a scam today. Like I was told-- if it sounds too good to be true then it is. Something I will always remember.
I'll consider myself elderly when I turn 90 :D

My parents are 88 and soon to be 91. They want so to be independent. But I look at their accounts...do they really need so much identity theft protection? Do they really need magazine subscriptions through 2023?? Do they really need a discount package for water and theme parks????

It is so easy to confuse someone...especially with the world and technology moving so fast.

That is why the idea...THE VERY IDEA...of giving them vouchers to buy their own medical insurance (Paul Ryan Plan) is so ridiculous. As my mother says...on a good day she can shop for groceries...there is no way she (or my dad) could possible shop for medical insurance!

The evil people just waiting to pounce on the vulnerablity (and gentility) of the elderly is shocking.

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No problem. I just got up on the wrong side of the bed today, and other issues keep piling up too. Besides that - I refuse to consider myself "elderly" until/if I make it to my 80th birthday! Until then, I am just a senior citizen!

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When I read this I thought, whoa boy, Pom's on a roll this morning. I feel your pain, Pom. I'm going to be 60 in February and right now I have mixed feelings about it. I think the closer I get, the more in denial I'll be. That IS unless I can go away to a nice tropical place with white sand and blue water. Not likely though.

As far as scams are concerned, I trust no one, so I don't worry about being scammed.

As for age - I'm 28 twice! ;):D

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Originally Posted by moosmom

When I read this I thought, whoa boy, Pom's on a roll this morning. I feel your pain, Pom. I'm going to be 60 in February and right now I have mixed feelings about it. I think the closer I get, the more in denial I'll be. That IS unless I can go away to a nice tropical place with white sand and blue water. Not likely though.

As far as scams are concerned, I trust no one, so I don't worry about being scammed.

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I really don't have mixed feelings - I'm 68 and can't roll back time, but Lord knows I sure wouldn't want to anyway. I am what I am - the sum total of what I've lived and learned all these years. When I hit 65, I didn't automatically become elderly, frail, and incapable of sound reasoning. It truly baffles me that society in general looks upon seniors this way. Don't tell me that I "can't" do something - either physically or mentally - cuz thems fightin' words.:mad: I'll prove you wrong or almost die tryin".......:D I just happen to feel that too many seniors are stiffled by the "younger" generations.

Pomtzu,

AMEN SISTA!!!!;)

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When I hit 65, I didn't automatically become elderly, frail, and incapable of sound reasoning. It truly baffles me that society in general looks upon seniors this way.

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I know exactly what you mean! Since I turned 65, even though I have had a lot of health issues, people think you are suddenly so stupid and don't know what you are talking about anymore. The doctors brush you off and lable everything as "anxiety" (or depression)...:eek:

As for scammers.... I usually can spot a scammer a mile away, especially when I meet one in person.