Unmasking the Lottery Scam Menace: tellows Insights Illuminate the Dark Side of Easy Money
tellows Insights Report
Richard Grant - Expert in Telecommunications and User Protection
Richard is responsible for tellows' Consumer Protection department and is responsible for investigating all matters relating to telephone fraud, with a particular focus on developments in the telecommunications sector. Last updated: Mar 13, 2024
Richard is responsible for tellows' Consumer Protection department and is responsible for investigating all matters relating to telephone fraud, with a particular focus on developments in the telecommunications sector. Last updated: Mar 13, 2024
In the realm of telecommunications, lottery and sweepstake scam calls have emerged as a persistent threat, preying on unsuspecting individuals with promises of grand winnings. tellows research experts have delved into the intricacies of these fraudulent schemes, shedding light on the alarming prevalence and tactics employed by scammers.
- Official Lottery Phone Numbers (e.g. customer service)
- Tactics used by scammers (e.g. Fake Lottery operators)
- Solutions to scammers (e.g. caller ID app)
An analysis reveals that only 15% of lottery or sweepstake related calls are perceived as positive, underscoring the pervasive nature of scams within this domain. Moreover, the distribution of scam calls varies significantly, with a substantial proportion attributed to harassment scam calls and premeditated scam calls. Dividing lottery scam calls into distinct categories further clarifies the tactical avenues utilized by fraudsters. ‘Raffles’, ‘lottery’, ‘prizes’, and ‘other winnings’ comprise the gamut of fraudulent narratives, enticing victims with false promises of monetary rewards and extravagant prizes.
Official Lottery numbers with positive ranking
The positively rated Lottery numbers are usually assigned to customer service operators or SMS announcements.tellows users submitted to 5 different phone numbers a total of 8 ratings.
| PhoneNumber | Ratings | Caller | Example | Score | 03332344433 | 3 | UK National Lottery | This is the UK National Lottery number using robocalls to make announcements. | 2 | 01425209242 | 2 | Didn’t quite catch it | They were calling to confirm my subscription. | 1 | 01202566305 | 3 | Charity hospice | I think it’s okay. Knew I’d previously had a lottery with local hospice. I agreed to restart it and | 4 | 1144 | 1 | unknown | (0114)4 1242800617 Called 3 times in a span of 3 minutes while I was away from my desk. No voice m | 5 |
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Scam or fraud calls with a 'Lottery' narrative
Fraudsters often employ sophisticated techniques to lure victims into their schemes, including impersonating official lottery companies and using famous brand names to lend credibility to their scams. By exploiting the allure of winning, scammers aim to manipulate victims into providing personal information or making payments under false pretenses. Identifying lottery scam calls requires a discerning eye and an awareness of red flags. Suspicious messages or calls claiming lottery winnings should be scrutinized, especially if recipients did not purchase a ticket for the draw in question. Requests for payment of taxes or fees to claim a prize should raise immediate suspicions, as legitimate lottery companies never require such payments upfront.tellows users submitted to 20 different phone numbers a total of 150 ratings.
| PhoneNumber | Ratings | Caller | Example | Score | 01138688913 | 2 | Lottery spam | They claimed that I had won the lottery. I never had a card, so must be some spam or scam call. | 7 | 03334432586 | 2 | Sports lottery spam | Sport betting pool, they are calling me constantly, because I was on a betting site, and tried to ac | 8 | +447591397842 | 14 | Terror o2 betrug | Got this robocall about winning a lottery entry, and to collect winnings, press '1'. I never entered | 8 | 02045869667 | 3 | Euro Millions spam | They are saying that I have won a portion of Euro Millions lottery. | 7 | +14024106841 | 2 | RICHARD LAVERLY | Scammer off of Twitter, preying on veterans and widows, offering to pay your credit card debt and th | 7 | 02045718658 | 2 | Phishing scam | Using a lottery tactic to hook people into spending a small fee. Claimed i won $1000, but need to pa | 7 | 02045258389 | 1 | EV SOLUTIONS LOTTERY | scam call, block | 8 | +441134900538 | 48 | Bundesfinanzbehörde | Lottery related calls. | 8 | 02034510381 | 1 | unknown | Claimed to be from National Lottery ofering help with a problem which I do not have, I hung up. | 7 | 07441397493 | 1 | unknown | 07441397493 - This a fraud and scammer number, who will call you and inform you that have won a lott | 7 | 02033180628 | 1 | lottery tickets | said I had won entries into this week's lottery. when I said ok they hung up. | 8 | 01138688272 | 1 | Lottery spam | National Lottery offering me free lotto tickets, and they keep calling. Not sure about this. | 7 | 07708379776 | 1 | Lottery spam | They just ping you, and then you get an sms with lottery marketing on it later. | 7 | +447708379776 | 43 | Ping-Anruf | They calling about entering the Lottery. I don't remember buying lotto tickets. | 8 |
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User Experience
Mr. Eirensky recounted his experience of receiving a call from 02045870940, where a lady claimed he had won a lottery on TV and that the call was from national television. She asked him to transfer money to register for the prize, even though she knew his name and home address. Sensing something was amiss, Mr. Eirensky wisely refused to transfer any money or provide bank details, prompting the caller to hang up abruptly.
How to Identify a Lottery Scam
Furthermore, lottery scams often employ tactics such as urging recipients not to disclose their winnings or imposing short deadlines for claiming prizes. These coercive tactics are designed to pressure victims into compliance and prevent them from uncovering the fraud. In response to the proliferation of lottery and sweepstake scam calls, tellows advocates for consumer awareness and vigilance. By familiarizing themselves with the telltale signs of lottery scams and exercising caution when encountering suspicious communications, individuals can protect themselves from falling victim to fraudulent schemes. Lottery and sweepstake scam calls represent a pervasive threat in today's digital landscape. Through informed decision-making and proactive measures, individuals can thwart the efforts of fraudsters and safeguard their financial well-being. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and together, we can combat the scourge of lottery scams plaguing our telecommunications networks.
All data was last updated on Mar 13, 2024. The phone numbers examined were categorized using the tellows score (1 - serious to 9 - dubious). This indicates the risk assessment of a telephone number. The higher the score, the more dubious the caller is. Calls with the lottery categorization and the number of reported phone numbers were examined. The analysis only takes into account numbers for which tellows users have assigned the narrative of 'lottery' calls.