Scammers will often try to take advantage when you’re feeling vulnerable and try to extract more money from you through a follow up scam.  A common follow up scams includes:  Offers from a law enforcement agency to investigate your scam and retrieve your money for a fee. Law enforcement agencies do not charge for their services

Lottery Scams don’t only come by mail, email or phone call either –

• SMS – text message

Text messages often contain vague messages of congratulations coupled with an impressive dollar amount of winnings and a link or email address to contact and collect. The Text messages will be brief but dangerous because those active links and email addresses can result in engagement and entrapment in the blink of an eye!

Links sent can open malware and spyware to be loaded onto devices. Smaller screens on phones and devices make fraudulent websites more difficult to spot.

• In person

Unbelievable – yet true!  Perhaps the most brazen of attempts at a lottery scam is the in-person attempt, preying on the goodwill of people.

The most vulnerable of the population such as the elderly are often targeted. A scammer will pose as an illegal immigrant claiming to have a winning lottery ticket, but that only citizens of the country can claim it. If the victim will hand over cash as collateral, they are sent to claim the winnings on the scammer’s behalf in exchange for a portion of the winnings.

Sometimes scammers work in teams to provide a willing helper to convince the victim it’s a good idea. Of course, the ticket is not a winner, and the scammers quickly leave with the money obtained.