The Upper Ottawa Valley OPP warn residents of a lottery and prize scam that has recently surfaced in the area.
The victim was contacted through the internet and advised that they had won a large sum of money. However, in order to collect the winnings they would have to pay a fee. The victim then sent several money orders to Nigeria in hopes of collecting their prize.
No prize was ever paid out and the incident was reported to police after it was realized they had fallen victim to a scam.
The OPP reminds everyone that legitimate lotteries do not require you to pay a fee or tax to collect winnings.
Also, many lottery and prize scams want to trick you into providing your banking and personal information to claim your prize. In fact, the criminals will fraudulently use your personal information to steal your money.
If a scam artist contacts you or if you have been defrauded contact your local police service or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or visit their website at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
