Jeffco D.A. warns of foreign lottery scams

Rocky Mountain News

Published August 30, 2006 at midnight

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The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office is warning citizens to beware of foreign lottery scams that promise big payouts.

The D.A.'s Fraud Hotline has seen an increased number of calls from people who were notified they won a lottery in a country they never visited.

They often receive very authentic-looking, bogus checks and are asked to deposit it and then wire money to cover various fees and taxes.

"The people that call us before they deposit the check or wire the funds are the lucky ones," said D.A. Scott Storey. "Once money is sent, it cannot be recouped. And, depositing the inevitably counterfeit check results in additional bank charges you have to pay."

Foreign lotteries are illegal in the U.S.

Storey said the frauds are becoming more sophisticated with authentic-looking documents.

"One scam we've seen lately is notification from the 'Publisher's Clearinghouse Lotto' with a title that looks familiar enough to create a level of confidence," he said. "Notification by letter or e-mail that you've won a foreign lottery, even when it includes a check, is bound to be fraudulent, regardless of how legitimate they look."

Victims are not targeted by age. They range from 19 to 68.

Also, the D.A. warns, beware of applications requesting personal information such as your Social Security number. Often these are simply "phishing" schemes to get your personal information.

If you receive notification you've won a foreign lottery, do not throw away the envelope. If you receive a check, do not deposit it. Do not call the phone number on the letter, it may be a 1-900 number with an exorbitant fee.

If you get such a letter, contact: