Canada Lottery Corp Warns of Scam
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) has warned the public to beware of a new scam that has been uncovered, which has the potential to defraud players out of their hard earned cash.
According to reports, innocent victims are being asked to pay a fee and, in return, they will receive their 'lottery prize'.
Thankfully, the vast majority of people who have received such calls have recognized them as a scam and have not given out any information or made any payments. However, there is always the exception to the rule and some people have indeed fallen victim to this scam ring.
The Director of Corporate Affairs for the Western Canada Lottery Corp, Andrea Marantz recalled the recent story of two women who turned up at the corporation's head office in Winnipeg. One of them was literally on her way to purchase a ticket to the United Kingdom to pick up her 'prize', and her friend convinced her to check the facts with the WCLC before doing so.
"Thank goodness her friend talked her into stopping at our offices," said Marantz. "She had no idea it was a scam. I hate to imagine what could have happened if she had arrived alone in London." Unfortunately, it was soon learned that the woman had already parted with what she was told was 'tax money' and her bank account was also at risk as she had shared private information with the thieves.
WCLC Logo Used in Scam
The Western Canada Lottery Corporation pointed out that its logo and details of the company have been used in a number of scam attempts to make the fraud seem more authentic. One recent caller showed the WCLC a letter advising him that he was the winner in Sweepstakes International (a fictitious lottery). The lottery's head office in Winnipeg was shown on the letter, as were its contact details.
"We get a handful of these sorts of calls every week, from within Canada and from abroad," said the Manager of Communications at WCLC, Kevin van Egdom. "We know that not everyone is familiar with lotteries and how they work. Bottom line - if you don't have a ticket, you don't win."
The corporation highlighted some of the warning signs of a Canada lottery scam, including the fact that no legitimate lottery organization would request personal and banking details over the phone or via email, and that there are never taxes or fees associated with the collection of lottery wins.
