Illinois State Lottery Scamster

Lottery Scams

If you receive an e-mail asking you to play a illinois lottery refuse it. It is a scamster who is out to dupe you. Never divulge you personal or banking information’s. Don’t send any money .It is also illegal to play foreign lotteries by phone or on-line. Inform the local police immediately if you come across any such scam.

Modus Operandi

The scamster always seems to be in a tearing hurry. The scamster instills feeling of urgency in the victim by pressure tactics. They warn the victims that if they do not respond immediately they run the risk of forfeiting their prizes. The scamster asks the victim to maintain secrecy to prevent fraudsters from claiming the prize. After convincing the victim that he has won a prize the con artist asks the victim to pay taxes so that he receives the prize money. Remember, a legitimate lottery will never ask the winner to pay for taxes. The taxes are deducted at the source before it is given to the winner.The con men also ask for the bank information of the victim. The usual reason given for this is for the transfer of the prize money. Scamsters also give fake cheques to their victims. The phone number given is manned by the con artist who directs the victims to first pay taxes before claiming the prize. Need less to say when the cheque is deposited in the bank it bounces?
A lottery scam begins when the victim receives an E-Mail informing him that he has won a lottery prize .The victim is asked to maintain secrecy because there has been a mix-up of names. The victim is asked to pay money for processing or transfer of money so that the prize money can be distributed. Scamsters use names of well known lotteries to dupe the customers.

Scrutiny to Identify a Fake Lottery

1. Remember, unless you have bought a ticket you cannot win a prize. No genuine lottery is drawn on the internet .There is nothing as a ticket less lottery.
2. If the lottery asks for any processing fee before the amount is released, it is a fake lottery. It is illegal to demand any money no matter what purpose it is deemed for. Scamsters ask for money on the pretext of courier or bank charges. Some scamsters may ask this money for paying federal taxes.
3. It has been observed that most scam lotteries use free e-mail accounts such as Hot Mail, Yahoo or MSN .No lottery will use these free E-mail accounts. Lotteries do not contact the winners .It is the other way around. The winner has to contact the illinois state lottery office to claim his prize along with the original ticket. Remember claiming a prize takes time and there are various verification processes before the prize money is released.