The Upper Ottawa Valley Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is reminding the public, legitimate lotteries do not require you to pay a fee or tax to collect winnings.
The OPP is warning residents of a lottery and prize scam that has recently surfaced in the area.
Targets of the scam have been contacted by phone and are told they have won prizes in a contest. Prizes could be money, a new house, a trip, and so on.
The OPP says, ”The scammers have also stated they have partnered with local elected officials to distribute the winnings. With such scams, the intended victim is often asked to pay fees to cover such things as taxes, legal fees, and delivery costs in order to collect the winnings.”
This is a reminder that no genuine lottery would require you to pay a fee or tax to collect your winnings.
Likewise, many lotteries and prize scams would try to trick victims into providing them with banking and personal details to claim a prize.
Anyone who has been contacted by a fraudster or believes they have been a victim of a scam is asked to contact their local police service or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
They can also visit their website at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
This article was originally sourced by www.ottawa.citynews.ca.
