Beware of South Dakota lottery scam - KOTA Territory News

Beware of South Dakota lottery scam

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The South Dakota Lottery is warning the public to be on guard against a scam in which people are being asked to pay money to collect a lotto prize.

In recent days, the Lottery has been notified by several people who say they were contacted by someone claiming to work with the Mega Millions lotto game. The caller allegedly told the person they had won a Mega Millions cash prize but could not claim their winnings without making a payment first. In one case, the individual contacted did pay the scammer then contacted the South Dakota Lottery to complain that they had not received their prize. 

Lottery executives say a winner is never asked to pay money upfront to claim a prize. They say people should follow these tips on how to recognize and avoid a scam:

  • Never accept a collect phone call from someone claiming to be a lottery official.
  • Never cash or claim a lottery ticket for someone you don't know.
  • Never give your credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or other personal information to anyone trying to sell you a lottery ticket, membership in a lottery pool, or promising a prize.
  • Beware of letters, email or phone calls offering you a guaranteed prize. The South Dakota Lottery does not guarantee you a prize, only a chance of winning one.
  • Beware of "urgent" solicitations that require a quick response.
  • Buy lottery tickets only from authorized South Dakota Lottery retailers.

If you have been contacted as part of the current Mega Millions or any scam, you are advised to report the scam to the S.D. Attorney General's Consumer Protection Unit at 1-800-300-1986.

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