New Scam Alter

Brief Summary:

The BBB does not run contests or lotteries. If you are contacted by the BBB regarding a lottery, simply hang up and report the call to your local law enforcement at a nonemergency number.

Detailed Summary:

Type: Better Business Bureau Lottery Scam

Method of Delivery: Phone or Email

Source: MSNBC (www.msnbc.com)

Scam Characteristics:

Successful scammers often use the names of reputable companies to build confidence and increase the likelihood of exploiting a victim. Currently, criminals are invoking the name of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), one of the most trusted organizations in the country. What makes this scam especially effective is they contact the victim using the actual names of real BBB employees whose bios are available on the BBB's own website.

Here's how the scam works:

A victim will receive a phone call or email from someone at the BBB congratulating them on winning millions of dollars in a lottery or contest. The catch? They need you to wire thousands of dollars to cover taxes and fees in order to claim the prize.

The BBB never runs contests or lotteries, but that hasn't stopped thieves from stealing tens of thousands of dollars from unsuspecting victims. One elderly man even handed over $80,000 to criminals before figuring out that the whole thing was a con.

The following are steps you can take to help avoid becoming a victim of this scam:

• Always check the legitimacy of every offer/company by contacting the organization at a number or email address published in the yellow pages or on a verified website.

• Never transfer money to a company that contacts you through an unsolicited phone call or email.

• Never pay taxes or fees for a prize directly to the prize giver. Any contest where you are required to pay taxes and fees up front is almost certainly a scam.

• If you think something's to good to be true, conduct an Internet search. Chances are others have received similar phone calls and emails.

• The BBB does not run contests or lotteries. If you are contacted by the BBB regarding a lottery, simply hang up and report the call to your local law enforcement at a nonemergency number.