ITRC Advisor Saves Woman from Lottery Scam and Losing $2,500

Scams and Seniors: If You See Something Say Something You may have heard of the phrase, “If you see something say something.” The intent behind this concept is that if the public looks out for each other and reports suspicious activity, crimes have a better chance of being prevented. Recently one of ITRC’s advisors was shopping at his local grocery store. An elderly woman in front of him at the register was trying to buy $2,500 in gift cards. The cashier called the manager to the front because the store has a $2,000 limit on gift cards. While the employees were discussing the situation, the ITRC advisor politely interrupted asking the woman why she needed so much in gift cards. The elderly woman replied she had been contacted by US Bank regarding a sweepstakes she had won totaling $750,000 in cash. In order to collect her winnings she needed to pay $2,500 upfront in gift cards to cover the taxes. Our advisor immediately recommended she not make the purchase. He explained that this was a scam, and that a valid lottery will not ask you to pay taxes or other fees upfront in gift cards or via wire transfer before receiving your winnings. The elderly woman was apprehensive at first saying she needed to complete this step to receive her prize. Our advisor elaborated on his role with ITRC and the commonality of these scams. The woman decided to not move forward with her transaction and was relieved that he intervened. She thanked him for speaking up and for saving her $2,500 dollars. According to the Federal Trade Commission, lottery scams were the third most common type of fraud reported to them in 2017. In many cases, scammers will take the gift card approach because it is an untraceable payment. Meaning once you release the physical cards or card numbers, scammers will take the money and run. Leaving you with no way to link the crime back to a specific individual and out a significant amount of money. Sometimes ITRC hears about cashiers and other employees educating shoppers to help prevent these scams, but not every victim is so fortunate. By speaking up when you see something suspicious or educating friends and family about identity crimes, you can help others minimize their risks. By taking a few minutes to politely address a situation, like that of this elderly woman, you too can help save someone a lifetime of woes. If you or someone you know is a victim of a scam or identity crime and needs assistance, you can receive no-cost help from ITRC. Contact one of our expert advisors via phone or LiveChat today. You can also download our app.

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at 888.400.5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC. Read next: Help! My Parent or Friend is a Victim of a Scam