19 hours ago |
London Community News
by Craig Gilbert
For the third time in four years, London’s Dream Lottery is a victim of identity theft.
According to a news release, a “phishing” scam is using easily obtainable information related to the Dream Lottery, such as ticket purchase locations in order to sound legitimate.
“In this latest reported case, the alleged perpetrators randomly call phone numbers until they find someone who confirms that they did purchase a Dream Lottery ticket at the location cited,” the release said.
Once a victim is found they are told to wire an “administration fee” to a California address.
A Strathroy man was told he had to wire $800 in order to claim his prize, a Mercedes.
“The Strathroy resident became suspicious when an additional $2,000 was demanded,” according to the release. “The resident contacted the store where he learned that there were at least two other complaints of callers demanding payment of administration fees.”
According to the RCMP anti-fraud unit, lotteries in Canada never require the payment of additional fees to claim a prize once a ticket is purchased.
According to spokesperson Alex Peterson, the Dream Lottery has been targeted twice before, in 2008 and 2009. In 2008 a scammer requested that cash be wired to a location in the Netherlands.
He said representatives from the Dream Lottery had contacted London Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police since it draws ticket buyers from across southwestern Ontario.
“They will be putting out alerts as well.”
The Dream Lottery is offering the following tips:
1) Phishing scams rely on the unauthorized use of identifying logos and information from official websites to try and fool people however; callers typically don’t have information that can help identify them as fraudulent. For instance, if asked, they very likely will not be able to recite the number that appears on your ticket.
2) If you didn’t buy a ticket, you cannot win. Some scams will use a known lottery identity and will claim to have drawn your phone number or e-mail address in order to award your prize. These calls are also likely not legitimate and an attempt to commit fraud.
3) If you are ever in doubt that a call from a lottery is legitimate, visit the lottery’s official website and call the official contact numbers. The website address and phone numbers are usually listed on lottery tickets. Dream Lottery does list this information on their tickets.
4) Lotteries in Canada do not require the payment of additional fees (once a ticket has been purchased) in order to claim a prize.
6) Dream Lottery has already contacted all winners. You can also check to see if you are a winner by visiting the lottery website at www.dreamitwinit.ca to check the prize winners list.
7) Dream Lottery is administered in Ontario and regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Tickets are not sold or mailed outside Ontario. Contacts from outside of Ontario, Canada claiming to represent the lottery are not legitimate.
8) Report scam and fraud attempts to local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca.
9) For more information on how to avoid fraud and phishing scams visit www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/prize-prix-pitch-gagne-eng.htm and www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca