You are here: Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus Scam Information: Sweepstakes/Lottery Fraud

If you have received a letter in the mail from a Canadian 'lottery' firm congratulating you on winning hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, a free car, boat, house, etc. ... for a 'small' fee of anywhere from $20 to upwards of several thousand dollars, please read below:

Please be advised that it is illegal in both Canada and the United States to ask for money upfront if you have legitimately won a prize/sweepstake. To our knowledge, these scams are presently affecting Americans, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, and citizens of the United Kingdom.

Please do NOT send in the requested money, as you will receive absolutely nothing in return. You should ask yourself "When did I ever enter a Canadian lottery?". Often, these companies get names and addresses of potential victims by purchasing contact information on the internet or directly from marketing companies.

Foreign Lottery Scams (The People's Law School, British Columbia)

International Lottery Scams (Federal Trade Commission)

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