BBB urges consumers to exercise caution when dealing with any lottery or sweepstakes solicitation received via email, postal mail, or phone.
Private and foreign lotteries are illegal in the US. In order to participate in any foreign lottery or sweepstakes, the participant would have to enter the lottery themselves by traveling to the country of origin. Watch out for lottery and sweepstakes solicitations that ask for an upfront fee to cover taxes or processing. The only money owed upon winning a lottery would be paid directly to the IRS and not the lottery company.
To determine if a solicitation you’ve received is a scam, look for postmarks out of Canada, misspelled words, unfamiliar or foreign company names, and verify a company’s participation if the solicitation claims a certain familiar business is affiliated. If you receive foreign lottery materials, make of a copy of all contents and return it to your local postmaster or visit http://postalinspectors.uspi.gov to file a complaint.