---
title: 5 Ways to Spot a Lottery Scam
description: Solicitation scams, commonly referred to as a “lottery” or “sweepstakes’ often begin with fraudsters telling the victim they won the lottery or a raffle.
---

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# [5 Ways to Spot a Lottery Scam](https://www.ncb.coop/blog/5-ways-to-spot-a-lottery-scam)

 Written by [National Cooperative Bank](https://www.ncb.coop/blog/author/national-cooperative-bank) | May 3, 2024 2:13:29 PM

Solicitation scams, commonly referred to as an “advance fee.” “lottery” or “sweepstakes’ scam often begin with fraudsters telling the victim they won the lottery or a raffle. The consumer may be issued a check worth more than the amount owed and instructed to pay taxed and fees before receiving a lump sum payment. Unfortunately, the check – in addition to the raffle – is bogus.

1. **Don’t be fooled by the appearance of the check.** Sam artists use sophisticated technology to create legitimate-looking counterfeit checks, money orders, and cashier’s check. The company name be real, but someone has forged the checks without their knowledge.
2. **Never “pay to play.”** If someone who is giving you money asks you to wire money back or send more than the exact amount – that’s a red flag that it’s a scam. If a stranger wants to pay you for something, insist on a cashier’s check for the exact amount, preferably from a local bank or one with a local branch.
3. **Verify the requestor before you wore funds or issue a check.** It is important to know who you are sending money to before you make a payment. Confirm the requestor is a trusted source.
4. **Just because the check has cleared does not mean it’s good.** Under federal law, banks must make deposited funds available quickly, but it can take days for the bank to learn that a check was bad.
5. **Report suspected fraud to your bank immediately. **Bank staff are trained to spot fraudulent checks. If you think someone gave you a fake check, don’t deposit it – report it. Contact your bank and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

*Blog post courtesy of the American Banker's Association.*

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