How to Avoid Sweepstakes Scams

This is a common problem: you open up your mail and find you’ve won $10,000! Or you’ve been selected as a winner! Guess again—these are the oldest kind of scams and they are still around today, growing better by the minute. These con artists are becoming more bold, even using names of government agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission or the non-existent National Sweepstakes Bureau to lure you in. They tell people that the only thing they have to do to get their money is pay a fee to cover the taxes or service charges. These scammers then convince people to wire money to a foreign country, telling them to expect delivery, which is being overseen by a government agency. People pay and no winnings ever appear. That’s because there are no winnings, only scams. Following these steps will help you avoid these sweepstakes scams and prevent being taken advantage of.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Avoiding Sweepstakes Scams

1. Don’t even open these sweepstakes, just shred them and discard. If you feel compelled to open them, please don’t ever pay anything to collect your supposed winnings. Just remember: if you are required to pay, you aren’t lucky and you haven’t won anything. Don’t be lured in.

2. Don't send money. Con artists pressure people into wiring money, using recognizable companies such as Western Union, to somehow legitimize their scam. Do not fall for this trick. Don’t send a check or money order either. If the person is asking for you to use an overnight delivery or courier service, warning bells should be going off in your head. Hurriedness is a trademark of scams artists.

3. Just because the con artist namedrops a government agency, such as the Federal Trade Commission, does not legitimize the scam. People can say whatever they want, so don’t be fooled if you hear that the government is supposedly involved. In addition, some con artists are saying the sweepstakes are insured by insurance companies. Again, this is fraudulent and there is no such thing as an insurance company insuring a sweepstakes prize.

4. Beware of con artists who say that the National Sweepstakes Bureau is sponsoring or overseeing this. There is no such agency called the National Sweepstakes Bureau. It sounds legitimate but it is a complete fake. And if a sweepstakes cites this nonexistent agency, you will know immediately that it is a scam.

5. If you want to report these scammers, contact the Federal Trade Commission or local law enforcement.

Tips & Warnings

• Protect yourself!

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