The Florida Lottery is warning citizens of a lottery scam making its rounds in Hillsborough County using a variety of fraudulent techniques targeting seniors in the Hispanic community. Scammers are attempting to convince victims they are in possession of winning lottery tickets, but need cash to claim the winnings because they are in the country illegally. Scammers have also attempted to validate the crime by claiming to work for the Florida Lottery.
The following are important tips to remember:
- You DO NOT need to be a U.S. citizen to claim a Florida Lottery prize.
- NEVER redeem a Florida Lottery ticket for a stranger.
- NEVER pay money to collect a prize.
- NEVER give your credit card numbers or personal information over the telephone to anyone promising Florida Lottery cash prizes or memberships.
- NEVER accept a collect phone call from someone claiming to be a Florida Lottery official.
For more information and to find other tips to protect yourself, please visit flalottery.com. To report a lottery scam, consumers should contact the Florida Lottery’s Division of Security at (850) 487-7730.
