Powerball, Mega Millions jackpot: What you need to know if you win
Here’s what you need to know if you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
FAQ only, USA TODAY
Even Mega Millions, one of America’s biggest jackpot games, is not immune to fraud.
Lottery officials from the Mega Millions division issued a warning on Tuesday, Dec. 15, about “scammers impersonating Mega Millions online and promoting fake ‘special drawings’ using the game’s familiar logo.”
According to Mega Millions, the scam is the latest in “many” fake lottery-related incidents that use words and images from well-known lottery brands to trick players into believing they are participating in a legitimate game or winning prizes that don’t exist.
“These criminals use many tricks to create an appearance of legitimacy,” said Khalid Jones, lead director of Mega Millions. “All these scams have one thing in common: They claim to have won a high-value lottery ticket and attempt to scam you out of your money or personal information.”
Mega Millions did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Here’s what Mega Millions should remind players:
How to protect yourself from fake lottery scams
It may not be immediately obvious whether a video or letter has been tampered with, but Mega Millions says you should be careful because “fake lottery scams come in many forms.”
“Consumers are advised to be wary of this and many other fake lottery scams,” Mega Millions warned.
According to Mega Millions, there are several ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from being targeted.
- If you’re told you won a lottery ticket you’ve never played, be suspicious. Just because a real lottery is mentioned does not necessarily mean that real prizes are waiting for you.
- If you come across a promotion or “special draw” while scrolling through social media, check its origin and make sure the details are from a legitimate source.
- “Be careful” about clicking on links that take you to “special drawings” or promotions.
- In a real lottery, there is no instructing winners to send money to claim prizes they have already won.
- Be suspicious if messages promoted on social media contain misspellings or poor grammar.
- Be wary of phone numbers you don’t recognize. Be especially careful if the area code is for a place you’ve never been to or heard of.
- Hang up and block anyone you think is trying to scam you.
- Do not call numbers you do not recognize or click on links, even if instructed to do so as a way to “verify” your prize.
Above all, do not share sensitive personal information such as bank account details or send money unless you can verify the origin of the request.
To file a complaint or obtain additional information, you may contact the Federal Trade Commission at (877)-382-4357. If you have been a victim of a scam, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
