Scams using Lotterywest's name and logo
Lotterywest is just one government organisation scammers like to pretend to be in the attempt at grabbing your cash or identity.
The Lotterywest logo has been used in a string of emails advising recipients of a bogus Lotto win or prize.
WA ScamNet and Lotterywest warn consumers not to respond to these emails as it will put them at great risk of losing a lot of money or even their identity. It also lets scammers know the email address is live and they will be the target of further scam attempts.
Lotterywest advises winners of their lotteries will never be contacted by email or SMS and recipients of these scam emails should delete them immediately.
It is ALWAYS ok to check with a government agency if something you recieved from them looks suspiscious. Make sure you find their phone number from a legitimate source like a local phone book.
Remember you should NEVER:
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pay money in advance to claim a prize
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use wire transfer as a payment method if the receiver is a stranger
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reveal personal or secure information, like bank account or credit card details, to unknown parties
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respond to uninvited emails or text messages proclaiming a lottery win
We are always happy winners emails
In July 2016, suspiscious emails with the subject line "We are always happy winners" proporting to be from Lotterywest were reported to WA ScamNet.
The email appears to be sent from "manager@westlottery.com", official Lotterywest emails end with "@lotterywest.wa.gov.au"
The email uses the Lotterywest logo and the registration page mirrors some of the format of the official Lotterywest Play Online registration page complete with links.
The emails says you have been selected by a special programme that Lotterywest raffle 1 time a year. An absolutely free online lottery with real cash prizes and 100% control of honesty. None of this is true! This email and any prize it claims to offer are fake and are an attempt to steal your identity or infect your computer.
Delete the email from your inbox and trash, then run a virus check on your PC just to be safe.
Lotterywest and UK National Lottery Commission
In February 2012, an email advises recipients they have won a million dollars in a random draw by Lotterywest, in conjunction with the UK National Lottery Commission and major computer software and internet companies.
Respondents to this email are then sent a fake certificate which displays the Lotterywest, WA Government and UK National Lottery Commission logos and seems to confirm the winnings are being held for release.
Further contact information is provided by the scammers.
While no-one has reported going to the next stage, it is likely, to release the funds, the recipients will need to disclose their bank account details and provide identification which puts them at risk of being victims of identity theft.
It is also highly likely the scammers will request some sort of fee to cover the release of the prize money.
Lotterywest Promotions/Prize Award Centre
Fraudsters are hoping Lotterywest will bring them big dollars.
The fraudsters aren’t prepared to take their chances along with the rest of us by entering Lotto. Instead they are using the reputation and name of Lotterywest to swindle overseas consumers.
Lotterywest (Lotteries Commission of Western Australia) is the official state lottery for Western Australia.
Lotterywest is receiving an increasing number of inquiries from overseas consumers who have been sent unsolicited emails by Lotterywest Promotions/Prize Award Centre.
The email states that the consumer has won US$60,000 or a similar amount. To claim the amount, the consumer must contact their promotions manager. Contact details are then provided.
This is an advance fee fraud. If the person responds, the promotions manager will ask them to send money to pay for release or handling fees and other legal expenses.
Lotterywest have posted a warning on its website stating: “It has come to our attention that unauthorised overseas operators are communicating by mail and email to people throughout the world purporting to be Lotterywest or to represent Lotterywest. These communications advise that the recipient has won a large prize and request that further details be sent to Lotterywest (or the sender) in order that the prize can be claimed. They then eventually ask the recipient to pay a fee (sometimes described as a handling fee) for the prize to be paid.
“Please note that unless you have purchased a Lotterywest ticket in Western Australia and are one of our registered players, the correspondence you have received is a SCAM. If you wish to check please email us on contact@lotterywest.wa.gov.au or phone us on + 618 9340 5100.”
Our thanks to Lotterywest for notifying us of these scams so we can alert our international readers.