Lottery Scams and Cheaters
There are various scams that people have conceived in an attempt to temporarily cheat the lottery system. Here are a few common examples:
Advance Fee Fraud - People receive an email congratulating them on winning a lottery (that they don't remember entering.) Then they are asked to send in money to cover the taxes or fees. Of course, there is no prize, and the victims end up sending their money off to a stranger who keeps it.
Winning System Frauds - Sometimes dishonest people will promise to increase your odds of winning. If you pay them, they will sell you their computer software or tell you their secret. In other cases they promise to buy tickets in other countries where the buyer supposedly has a better chance of winning; of course, they mark up the price, often doubling it, in order to get those tickets for you. In either situation, your odds of winning are still low, and you can end up wasting a lot of money trying to find the right "system."
Stealing Lottery Tickets - Sometimes lottery cheaters are not so creative. They simply steal lottery tickets from acquaintances or relatives who have won, and turn the tickets in for the money. This leaves the rightful owner in the awkward position of proving that they are the ones who actually bought the ticket.
Cheating Store Clerks - In a number of cases, a lottery ticket owner takes his ticket back to the store where he bought it to see how much he won. The store clerk may tell him the truth; however, sometimes the store clerk will tell the person he lost, or only won a small amount; then the store clerk keeps the ticket for himself, and cashes it in. This is simply another version of stealing a lottery ticket from the rightful owner.
Just this week, Yahoo News reported on such a case in Newport News, Virginia. A man had been buying his lottery tickets at the same gas service station convenience store for a decade, and trusted the clerk. When she told him that he had won only $40, he believed her. However, when his son, who knew the numbers he always played, called to congratulate him on his $600 winnings, he was stunned. He returned to the convenience store and was told by the clerk that his ticket had been lost. The man reported the situation to the Virginia Lottery, and the store clerk has now been indicted on felony larceny charges.
How to Protect Yourself From Lottery Cheaters
Once you know the tricks people play in order to cheat you, the solutions are obvious:
Do not send money in order to win a prize ... ever!
Do not waste money trying to improve your odds. Accept the fact that your odds are low, and play your numbers for the enjoyment. Just don't overdo it. Never spend more money than you can afford on any type of gambling. There are no sure things, and far too many people have lost all their savings because they were convinced there was no way they could lose.
Do not leave your lottery tickets lying around where they can be easily stolen by visitors to your home. Even trusted friends or relatives may sometimes be tempted.
Always check your numbers yourself, at home, before you take the ticket to a store to be redeemed. Lottery results are usually announced on local television stations, as well as printed in the local newspapers. In addition, all state lotteries post the results on their websites. Never rely on the store clerk to tell you the truth, even if that sweet clerk seems friendly. Most scam artists can be extremely friendly, in an attempt to win your trust. You have to look out for yourself!
You may also want to know about these other dangerous scams:
Online Dating Scams
Computer Virus Scams
Online Used Car Scams
Phony Contest Winner Scam
The Scam that Promises to Fix Your Credit
You are reading from the blog: Lies and Liars
Photo of old lottery tickety courtesy of http://www.morguefile.com/
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