Fake Prize Scams are on the rise with fraudsters taking advantage of the increasing numbers of competitions.
We are all confronted with the opportunity to enter a wide variety of competitions every day, from winning a television to changing your life with a huge lottery win.
Competitions are everywhere. We are all constantly being asked to enter competitions on TV, online and on the radio.
Fraudsters take advantage of this situation by emailing or calling people to say they have won a prize.
The scam victim will then often press a link in an email that allows fraudsters access to their details or be asked to send over bank details for the payment to be made.
A very common competition scam asks the fraud victim to initially pay a small sum to claim the bigger prize.
Lots of people fall victims to these incredibly popular prize scams so no-one should feel ashamed if they have been duped.
The fraudsters are very sophisticated targeting millions of people. They are banking on the fact that they will get someone who is too busy or too tired to have time to think about the prize on offer.
Scammers also rely on the fact that many people are struggling financially and know how much these people are in need of some good news.
If you have been defrauded through a prize scam do not despair. We are here to offer a sympathetic ear and try to help you recover your lost funds in as quick and hassle-free way as possible.
Three top tips to avoid falling victim to competition prize scams.
1. Did you enter the competition?
This seems an obvious question but with everyone leading busy lives it’s very easy to forget what competition you may have entered. Fraudsters are relying on people clicking on links without thinking or just out of curiosity. Have a think about when or whether you entered the competition that you have been told that you won.
2. Are they asking for money?
A typical trick of prize scammers is to ask you to pay them a sum to release the prize. This is known as advanced fee fraud. No reputable company or organisation will ever do this. Sometimes they will say it is because they need you to pay the postage. If this is required then alarm bells should be ringing in your head.
3. Double check any competition you are entering.
Fraudsters use fake competitions to collect your personal information. Before you enter any competition, particularly online, double check if it is genuine. Scammers will often impersonate big brands for their fake competitions. Make sure you go to the official website of the big brand to check that the competition is really there’s before you enter.