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AG warns of international lottery scam Attorney General Troy King issued a warning to consumers that his office has received reports of international lottery scams being circulated in the Wiregrass area. At least two people in Kinsey have been contacted and have forwarded the matter to authorities. A similar incident also took place in Jackson recently and was reported to the Jackson Police Department. The fraudulent scheme involves scam artists contacting consumers by mail, telling the consumers that they have won an international lottery, and enclosing false or forged checks to cover the "taxes and fees" associated with the winnings. The consumers are directed to deposit the enclosed check and send in the money (usually by wire) to cover the "taxes and fees." To encourage consumers to send the money before they find out the bad checks will not clear, the scam notice declares the supposed winnings will be voided if the consumer does not respond within a close deadline. Sometimes consumers are asked to send financial account numbers under the deception that the information will be used to deposit winnings into their accounts. One lottery scam now being circulated is labeled as the "Omega British Lottery," but King cautioned that international lottery scams are increasingly prevalent and consumers should consider any international lottery letter to be scam. The Office of Consumer Affairs generally receives at least three or four complaints or inquiries a week about international lottery scams. "Our best weapon against these scam artists is information, because information power," said Attorney General King. "The consumer specialists in my office are working to arm consumers with information to protect themselves from being victimized by international lottery scam artists. We are making progress, as more and more consumers realize that these solicitations are fraudulent, and are stopping these criminals from taking their hard-earned money and savings." The following warning signs are emphasized to help consumers recognize that they have received a scam: +Letters asking for money up front, claiming its needed for such things as taxes, customs fees or insurance; +If the letter asks for financial account information claiming money will be deposited; +If the solicitation includes a forged check with instructions for the consumer to send taxes and fees that purport to be covered by that check. The following advise is offered for consumers: Do not send money. Never wire money in response to a letter you have not solicited or initiated. International lotteries do not operate through the mail, announcing winning a contest never entered or a lottery when a ticket has not been purchased. Do not send personal or financial information. It can be used to steal your identity or invade accounts. Never provide information to someone who initiates unsolicited contact. Check it out. On receipt of an unknown check, verify its legitimacy with the bank it is drawn on or the alleged source to determine if it is a forgery. Assume an unexpected check may be a forgery or bad if it comes from a company or person you do not do business with. Even if thought to be legitimate, wait until the check clears the bank. Report it. The Federal Trade Commission maintains a database for education and enforcement efforts by various federal agencies. Consumers may forward information directly to the FTC. If fraudulent solicitation is received by e-mail, consumers may forward without a message to spam@uce.gov. The FTC may be contacted directly at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). Solicitation received by mail should be returned to the Post Office marked for postal inspectors.
Consumers losing money should notify their local or regional FBI field office. Due to the international nature of these scams, recordkeeping and enforcement is handled by federal authorities.
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