Lottery Prize Scams
Email scams are operating on the internet, claiming to be from organizations such as the “Western Canada Lottery Corporation”, “WCLC”, “Lotto Max”, “Canadian Lottery Online Lucky Program” or the “Alberta Lottery Fund”. International criminal groups often use the names of real organizations to make their schemes look legitimate.
Please do not reply to emails claiming that you have won money. Legitimate lotteries do not email winners. They do not give prizes to random e-mail addresses, or ask winners to pay any fees.
We urge consumers to protect themselves. Remember:
- No genuine lottery chooses winners from email addresses or names – you must have purchased a ticket.
- There are no fees or taxes to collect a legitimate lottery win.
- No lottery organization would ever ask you for personal or financial information over the
phone or by email.
If you receive one of these solicitations:
- First and foremost, ignore it. It's not real - it's an attempt to steal from you.
- Don't call the number provided in the solicitation.
- Contact your local police service. They may be aware of the scam. In Canada, a police organization
called the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre tracks this type of activity. You can visit their website or call 1-888-495-8501.
Learn more about spam e-mail scams from the Canadian Consumer Handbook. Service Alberta also provides tip sheets at servicealberta.ca or call the Consumer Contact Centre toll-free at 1-877-427-4088.
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