Crooked Lottery Scams With Identity Theft Built In

Lottery scams have been around for some time, and all of the aspects of this version are tested. The latest version of the lottery scam involves a local business having its identity stolen. Then the culprits of this fraud can send you checks drawn on the business' bank account. This means that this crime has two victims: you and the business whose identity was stolen. This will make you look very bad in the eyes of the bank. Also, the check that you cashed bounces, and the crooks are long gone.
How does this lottery scam work?

You receive official looking documents saying that you have won $500,000 in the British lottery and enclosed is a check for $5,000. There will be directions on how to claim the prize and elsewhere in the letter will be something about how you are required to pay a fee which is what the check is for. All you need to do is cash the check and send the funds in the form of a money order to their offices in the United Kingdom and wait for more instructions.

Sounds like a great deal. You have a check in hand to cover the fees, and there is nothing that could possibly go wrong! Here's the problem. The check is written on the account of local businesses whose identity was stolen and by the time you have deposited the check and sent the money order to the United Kingdom, the check will bounce, and the bank will hold you responsible for the entire amount of the check. You realize that you have been conned. The names of the countries and businesses may change but the scam is not new. The first red flag that should have risen on your part is that you have been told that you won a lottery you know you never entered. Secondly, it is a lottery in a foreign country. Thirdly, you are asked to pay an advance fee to claim your winnings. It is the fact that you pay a fee that is at the middle of all lottery scams, and the one thing that you should have paid more attention. Yet many innocent people fall for this scam every day. You should never send anything to claim a prize. The only people who "win" money in this scam are the ones to whom you have sent money.
There are lots of consumer fraud schemes out there such as the lottery scam. It is up to you, the consumer, to educate yourself to recognize what is and is not legitimate. By doing so, you can minimize becoming a victim to the crime of theft by deception.

Fabiola Castillo is an online marketer for the website NinjaCOPS.com. This virtual store specializes in personal defense products where you can buy pepper spray, kubaton keychains, wireless hidden cameras, cheap stun guns, nunchaku tricks videos, telescopic steel batons, and many other home security products.