A WARNING has been given out over fake lottery wins.
Thames Valley Police’s Action Fraud department says a number of residents have been victim of scams in recent weeks after being told they have won a lottery or prize draw.
However, to collect their non-existent winnings, they need to pay a fee.
The scammers attempt to steal the victim’s money as well as personal and financial information.
Between April and October, Action Fraud said they received 629 reports of lottery fraud, with nearly nine in 10 attempts mentioning well-known prize draws such as the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Three-quarters of victims were aged 50 or over, and those aged 65 or over accounted for 40% of the reports.
Action Force says that fraudsters use gift cards as a form of payment as they can be easily redeemed and sold on.
The criminals don’t need the physical card to redeem the value as they ask the victims to share the serial code on the back of the card.
In other instances, victims reported being asked for personal and financial information to obtain their alleged winnings.
Some victims reported providing their bank details thinking they would be sent a small payment to verify the account. However, the criminals will use these details to steal the victim’s money.
Action Force says that people should apply stop, challenge and protect principles when appreciated by strangers bearing gifts.
Stop: Unsolicited offers of large sums of money in return for a small upfront payment should always raise a red flag. Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with money or information could keep victims safe.
Challenge: Could it be fake? Remember, it is not possible to win a prize in a competition that the victim didn’t enter. It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic victims.
Protect: Any one who thinks they have been a victim of fraud, should contact their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.
For further protection advice around lotteries and competition can be found on the Gambling Commission’s website.
For more of the government’s latest advice on how to stay secure online, visit the Cyber Aware website: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware
