A number of lottery scams continue to make the rounds, according to Vice President of Marketing and Communication for the Better Business Bureau of Southern Alberta Camie Leard.
“It’s an old scam. It started with snail mail, people getting something in the mail saying they’ve won and to call this number. Then you have to pay to claim the prize,” Leard said.
RCMP in Strathmore recently issued a warning to residents in the area, including Langdon in east Rocky View County, about a lottery scam.
According to Leard, scammers are now using the internet and email to contact their potential victims.
“I think as technology evolves, we’re seeing more of it because people who are scammers have different avenues (to use),” she said.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre provides information to consumers about how to identify and report fraud, including lottery scams. According to their website, real lotteries will not notify winners by email and will not randomly select winners by email addresses. They will also not use free email accounts like Yahoo or Hotmail and will not ask a consumer to keep their winnings a secret.
Leard said there are some additional tips people can follow to protect themselves from scammers.
“If you didn’t enter the contest, you probably haven’t won something,” she said. “Never, ever pay to claim a prize. If it’s a prize it shouldn’t come with strings attached. But sometimes that’s not money. Sometimes you have to attend a high-pressure sales presentation to claim your free trip. That’s a very common one.” The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre issued a bulletin this month outlining the ways consumers can protect themselves online during the holiday season. More information is available at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca
If you have any information on any crime, call your local RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
