Don’t be fooled: Scammers Are Targeting Michigan Lottery Players

Bad actors will do almost anything to wrestle your hard-earned money away from you. The latest scam warning comes from the Michigan Lottery, which warns that scammers are now preying on Michigan residents who play the lottery.

There seems to be no end to the lengths scammers will go to defraud unsuspecting victims. From gift card scams to Bridge card scams to QR code scams to scams targeting grandparents, staying one step ahead of crooks can seem like a full-time job.

Scammers Target Michigan Lottery Players

The Michigan Lottery is warning that thieves are now posing as lottery agents and prize winners.

Suzanna Shkreli is the Lottery Commissioner for the state of Michigan. She reminds Michigan residents that it's important to be vigilant, especially during the holiday season.

"Unfortunately, in this day and age there are bad actors who claim to be associated with lottery games and are looking to take advantage of others for their own gain," Shkreli said.

Common Methods Scammers Use to Target Lottery Players

According to the lottery, scammers make contact with would-be victims via phone, text, email, or mail claiming to be a lottery agent, agent and informing them that they've won a prize from the Michigan Lottery. They also inform them that they have to pay a fee to claim their prize and convince them that they need to make an electronic funds transfer or mail a cashier's check to get their winnings.

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In another scenario, the scammer claims to be a lottery winner and offers to share their winnings with the victim and convinces them to make a funds transfer, send a cashier's check, or even meet in person to get their money in cash.

Always be Heads up to These Types of Scams

The lottery reminds Michigan residents that they always process prize claims for free. You must have a winning ticket to claim a prize and if you haven't purchased a ticket, there's no possible way you can win a prize.