Consumer Encyclopedia

Foreign lottery

Foreign lottery

Thousands of consumers every year receive what appear to be official notifications that they've won a prize in a lottery drawing from another country. This is a scam. Common lottery scams involve the Canadian Lottery, the U.K. Lottery and the El Gordo Lottery (Spain).

Normally the letter says the consumer has won a large amount of money, but first needs to pay taxes on the money. Or the letter might include a bogus check for part of the winnings and ask that you send some of the money elsewhere. That “elsewhere” will be a criminal and the original check you received will bounce.

Sample foreign lottery notification and check

Foreign lottery notification letter

Sample check from foreign lottery (it always bounces)

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