TALLAHASSEE, FL (352today.com) – The Florida Lottery is warning players to be on high alert as reports of scam phone calls continue to rise. Scammers are falsely claiming individuals have won large lottery prizes and then requesting upfront payments for “taxes” or asking for sensitive personal information.
The Florida Lottery emphasizes that it will never contact players to inform them of a prize via phone call, social media, or text message, and will never request money to claim a prize.
“These scams are not only deceitful – they’re dangerous,” said Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis. “We want to remind our players that the Florida Lottery does not charge fees to claim prizes, and you should never provide your Social Security number, bank details, or make any form of payment in response to a call or message claiming you’ve won.”
The Lottery urges anyone who receives a suspicious call, email, or message to:
- Hang up immediately. When in doubt, hang up and end the call as soon as possible.
- Do not provide any personal or financial information. The Florida Lottery will never call and ask for your personal information.
- Report the scam. It is important to report all scams to the Florida Lottery’s Division of Security at (850) 487-7730 or to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA.
Lottery winnings can only be claimed in person at Lottery offices or by mail, provided the player has a valid winning ticket.
For more information on scams and how to protect yourself, visit the Florida Lottery’s Security Center.
About the Florida Lottery
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $48 billion to enhance education and sending over one million students to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 99 percent of its revenue into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,550 Lottery retailers, and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid over $100.2 billion in prizes and created more than 4,300 millionaires. For more information, please visit floridalottery.com.