TIPS TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED
The Mega Millions website offers tips to avoid lottery scams:
* If someone says you have won a lottery that you have never played, be suspicious. You can’t win a legitimate lottery if you didn’t buy a ticket.
* If you are in a jurisdiction that is outside the market area of the lottery or game mentioned as the source of the “prize,” then it is a scam. Real lotteries do not hold “international” sweepstakes, contests or awards for people who live outside their market area. Mega Millions is an example of a lottery that is only available in the United States. If someone calls you claiming to be from the United States and claims you won a large prize, it’s a scam.
* If you have caller-ID on your phone, check the area code when someone calls to tell you you’ve won. This is considered a red flag if the caller is calling from a foreign country. Also, be aware that some con artists use technology that allows them to disguise their area code: although it may look like they’re calling from your state, they could be anywhere in the world.
* Be suspicious if an e-mail contains misspellings or poor grammar, or if the person who called you uses poor English.
