< Norfolk resident loses $100K to online lottery scam - Canadian Fraud News Inc. | Fraud related news | Fraud in Canada

Norfolk resident loses $100K to online lottery scam

A Norfolk, Ont. resident has lost $100,000 to an online lottery scam.

The victim received a notification indicating they had won a lottery, they were then told in order to release the winnings they would need to send money to a link. The victim never collected any money.

“Scammers are increasingly using Facebook as a means of communication to target potential victims,” Norfolk Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said in a statement. “The OPP are warning all residents to be on the lookout for unsolicited Facebook messages claiming you’ve won a prize.”

Police say the way the scam works is that a person will receive a Facebook message, sometimes from people claiming to be a distant relative. “The scammer sends out mass email messages claiming they saw the consumer’s name on a list as a prize winner in a lottery or sweepstakes. A fee is requested up front but no winnings are ever received,” police say.

Read more at Simcoe Reformer

This article is summarized by Canadian Fraud News Inc.