Lottery Scams
Lottery scams are widespread all over the world and Denmark is no exception. Fraudsters have been known to contact innocent victims and try to persuade them they represent an official lottery company, such as Danske Spil or an international organisation.
How Scams Work
The most common technique of scammers is to tell their target that they have won a lottery prize. This taps into the natural excitement that anyone would feel when told they might suddenly become rich, but in reality there is no prize and the fraudster is just trying to extract personal or financial information so they can steal money.
The scam may be in the form of an email, letter, social media message or telephone call, so you should be wary if you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the lottery.
Subscription Scams
Another scam that has been reported is one in which the criminal will call up and offer a subscription, asking you if you want to become a customer and play a particular game. Lottery subscriptions are popular in Denmark and a genuine option, so fraudsters try to take advantage.
If you are keen they will then request that you transfer money. However, all you would end up doing is paying money to the scammer and not entering the lottery at all. Remember that no official lottery would call you in this way and ask for bank details.
Spotting Scams and What To Do Next
Lottery scams have become increasingly sophisticated, but there are still a few ways to identify them. Keep these points in mind to help you spot lottery fraudsters.
- It is not possible to win a prize for a lottery game, Tips game or any other competition that you have not entered.
- Lotteries do not select winners at random based on their email address or mobile phone number.
- An official lottery company will never ask you to pay a processing fee or tax before you can be paid a prize that you have won.
If you receive a call, letter or email that you’re not sure about, you should not disclose any personal information. Don’t open any links contained in a suspicious email, never send any money and break off contact if you have already responded. If you have provided personal or financial information, alert your bank straight away. You can report any suspicious contact to the police or a fraud agency.